Since 2016, war crimes and crimes against humanity are likely committed by all warring parties in Libya. That writes the UN Human Rights Council in a report published on Monday. These include torture, the recruitment of child soldiers, (mass) murder, slavery, rape, extrajudicial executions and arbitrary detention.
The UN agency says it has “reasonable grounds” to suspect that the crimes committed amount to war crimes. Migrants and prisoners in particular would be most likely to become victims of abuse. A civil war has been raging in Libya for years, causing instability and lawlessness in many regions. Minorities and women are also at higher risk, according to the UN organisation.
coastguard
The report mentions the Libyan Coast Guard, which is funded and trained by the European Union with the aim of containing the flow of migrants to Europe. Members of the coastguard are said to have repeatedly assaulted migrants and transferred them to detention centers where they knew that torture and (sexual) violence took place. Hundreds of documents were examined for the investigation and more than 150 people were interviewed.
Also read: How a Dutch shipowner ‘pushed’ migrants back to Libya
According to the UN, foreign parties are also involved in the crimes. The Wagner Group is explicitly mentioned here, a group of Russian mercenaries that is active in several African countries. Several combat groups have targeted hospitals and clinics in recent years, according to the research. Landmines were also left in civilian areas, killing or maiming several people. The period between 2019 and 2020 in which there was a struggle for power over the capital Tripoli is explicitly mentioned as a time when many atrocities were committed.
In 2011, an uprising broke out in Libya, deposing and killing dictator Moammar Gaddafi. Since then, the oil-producing country has been fighting for power between various groups. Last year, after mediation by the United Nations, a ceasefire was signed. As part of this, it is planned to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya before the end of the year.
source https://pledgetimes.com/un-numerous-human-rights-violations-and-possible-war-crimes-in-libya/
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