Crimes against humanity committed in Libya, UN report finds

Members of independent fact-finding mission conducted more than 400 interviews

The fact-finding mission's Tracy Robinson, left, chairman Mohamed Auajjar and Chaloka Beyani, right. EPA

A UN investigation released on Monday found that migrants stranded in Libya while trying to reach Europe were being systematically tortured and forced into sexual slavery, and that there were reasonable grounds to believe war crimes and crimes against humanity had been committed.

The UN independent fact-finding mission on Libya expressed “deep concern” over the war-torn North African country’s deteriorating human rights situation in its final report submitted to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, and said that breaches committed by both state security forces and armed groups would be relayed to the International Criminal Court.

“There are grounds to believe a wide array of war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed by state security forces and armed militia groups,” the investigators said.

Chaloka Beyani, one of three members of the UN fact-finding mission to Libya, said the EU's support for Libyan authorities that stop and detain migrants had “aided and abetted” the commission of rights violations against migrants.

“We're not saying that the EU and its member states have committed these crimes. The point is that the support given has aided and abetted the commission of the crimes,” said Ms Beyani said in Geneva on Monday.

The mission, tasked with investigating abuses in Libya since 2016, said the Libyan government was “obligated to investigate allegations of human rights violations and crimes in areas under its control in accordance with international standards”.

“We call on Libyan authorities to develop a human rights plan of action and a comprehensive, victim-centred road map on transitional justice without delay, and hold all those responsible for human rights violations accountable,” said Mohamed Auajjar, the mission’s chairman.

The three-member panel said there was a widespread effort by Libyan authorities to repress civil society.

“Attacks against inter alia human rights defenders, women rights activists, journalists, and civil society associations have created an atmosphere of fear that has sent persons into self-censorship, hiding or exile at a time that it is necessary to build an atmosphere that is conducive to free and fair elections for Libyans to exercise their right to self-determination and choose a representative government to run the country,” the report said.

The UN mission urged the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to establish a “distinct and autonomous mechanism with a continuing mandate to monitor and report on gross human rights violations with a view to support Libyan reconciliation efforts and assist the Libyan authorities in achieving transitional justice and accountability.”

The fact-finding mission on Libya undertook 13 missions, conducted more than 400 interviews, and collected more than 2,800 items of information, including photographic and audiovisual imagery.

Reuters contributed to this report