Human Rights Priority Country status report: January to June 2016
Updated 8 February 2017
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The human rights and humanitarian situation remained a serious concern between January and June 2016. The UK continued to support the UN-facilitated peace process and internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), recognising that a political solution is the best way to end the conflict and bring long-term stability to Libya. On 18 April, the Foreign Secretary visited Tripoli to underline UK support for the GNA. We have allocated £10m this financial year to help restore stability in Libya, rebuild the economy, fight Daesh, and tackle the criminal gangs that fuel illegal migration.
From 1 January to 30 June 2016, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) documented 100 civilians killed (including 16 children and 12 women) and 94 injured in hostilities across Libya. Civilians continued to be subject to abduction and kidnapping for ransom across Libya. On 24 February, an 11-year-old child was killed in Tripoli after his family failed to pay a kidnap ransom.
The conflict in Benghazi continued to endanger civilians, as reported by Human Rights Watch. On 7 May, at least 6 civilians were killed and over 30 injured when shells struck a demonstration in al-Kish square. On 4 June, Head of UNSMIL, Martin Kobler, expressed deep concern about violations of international humanitarian law, some of which may amount to war crimes, in an open letter to all parties engaged in fighting in Benghazi. In Derna, Human Rights Watch reported civilian deaths caused by an airstrike on a hospital, as well as from fighting between local extremist militias and Daesh.
Daesh remained a serious threat and committed violations against civilians, including abduction, murder, punishment by amputation, stoning and arbitrary execution, and systematic persecution of communities. On 18 May, Human Rights Watch released their report “We feel we are cursed” on Daesh abuses in Sirte. On 7 January, a Daesh attack on the Police Academy in Zletin killed at least 65 people.
In June, the murder of 12 former regime detainees after their release from prisons in Tripoli was widely condemned, including by FCO Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Tobias Ellwood.
Inter-communal tensions led to violent clashes in a number of towns and cities. Displaced communities, such as the Tawergha, remained vulnerable to persecution. On 21 January, the Twareg Imouhagh Organisation for Justice and Equality, called on the UN to investigate clashes between Tebu and Twareg tribes in southern Libya.
Civil society organisations faced continued pressure from intimidation, abduction and violence. On 16 March, Kobler condemned the assassination in Derna of civil society activist Abdulbaset Dahab. Libya dropped 10 places in the 2016 World Press Freedom Index, to 164 out of 180 countries. Although three of the 18 proposed ministers in the new GNA Cabinet are women, it remains difficult for women to participate equally in society. Female civil society activists reported increased restrictions in western Libya e.g. on travelling alone. British Council Libya has delivered the Springboard programme to enable over 600 women in Libya to develop skills and leadership within their communities.
NGOs, including Amnesty International, reported that prospective migrants on the smuggling routes to and from Libya suffered abuses including detention, sexual violence, killings, torture and religious persecution, and inhumane conditions.
At the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in March, the UK expressed its deep concern at the extent of violations and possible war crimes reported by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and called for accountability for all such abuses. The UK co-sponsored the latest HRC Resolution on Libya, which commits Libya to implement recommendations stemming from the OHCHR investigation and requests follow-up assessments by OHCHR. At the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor’s briefing to the UN Security Council on 26 May, the UK registered its concern that the difficult security situation in Libya had prevented the ICC from undertaking investigative activities in Libya.
On 12 April, the UK and UNSMIL co-chaired a meeting in Tunis of over 40 countries and international organisations with GNA ministers to discuss how the international community could support the GNA to bring peace, security, stability and prosperity to the Libyan people. During the meeting, the UK pledged US $1m to a new “Stabilisation Facility” for Libya.
UK programme support for Libya for financial year 16/17 includes support for peace mediation and stability, women’s rights, civil society, municipalities, and freedom of speech. We will continue to encourage the GNA to ensure that, as a single Libyan governing authority is established across the nation, respect for universal human rights is prioritised, especially for the most vulnerable such as migrants and minorities.