UN calls for investigation after bodies found in Libyan detention centers

UN calls for investigation after bodies found in Libyan detention centers

The United Nations is calling for an independent investigation after the discovery of dozens of bodies and evidence of human rights abuses in militia-run detention centers in the Libyan capital Tripoli.

Shocking human rights violations

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Wednesday that he was "shocked" by revelations of serious human rights abuses that have come to light in locations run by the Libyan militia SSA. He called for the sites to be immediately “sealed down” and for Libyan authorities to conduct “swift, independent, impartial and transparent investigations.”

Background to the SSA

Founded in 2021, the SSA (Stabilization Support Apparatus) is an umbrella organization of militias active in western Libya that has previously faced serious allegations of atrocities and human rights violations related to the violence that has engulfed Libya since the fall of Moammar Gadhafi regime shattered over a decade ago.

Disturbing finds

The reports, received by his office between May 18 and May 21, document the exhumation of 10 “burned bodies” at the SSA headquarters in the Abu Salim district of Tripoli. In addition, 67 bodies were discovered in refrigerators at Abu Salim and Al Khadra hospitals in the capital, with some of the remains severely decomposed due to power outages.

More discoveries

A burial site under SSA control was also reportedly discovered at the Tripoli Zoo. The identities of the victims remain unclear. In addition to the bodies, “suspected torture instruments and evidence of possible extrajudicial executions” were found. “Our worst fears are being confirmed,” Turk said.

Urgent need to preserve evidence

He emphasized the critical need to preserve evidence. "These sites must be sealed and all potential evidence preserved to support immediate accountability. Those responsible for these heinous acts must be held to account immediately and in accordance with international standards," he demanded.

Access to evidence locations

Türk also expressed concern that Libyan forensic authorities tasked with exhumation and identification have not yet been granted access to the sites and called for full access. He also called on Libya to allow the United Nations access to document the violations as part of its mandate.

Condemn the distribution of images

The High Commissioner condemned the spread of “horrific images and video footage” of the sites on social media and insisted that the “dignity and privacy of the victims and the rights of their families must be respected.”

Consequences of the violent clashes

The grim discoveries follow the killing of SSA leader Abdulghani Kikli in May and subsequent clashes between state security forces and armed groups. These clashes led to protests calling for an end to violence in Tripoli, which, according to Türk, appeared to have been met with "unnecessary violence," resulting in civilian and police deaths and property damage, including to hospitals.

Political crisis in Libya

This raises “serious concerns about the guarantee of fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly as well as the need to protect civil space,” Turk stressed. Libya has been mired in a political crisis since the fall of longtime dictator Gaddafi in 2011, leading to the spread of armed groups across the country.

Current situation in Libya

Although one Ceasefire agreement in October 2020 brought temporary relief, Libya remains divided while various rival armed groups attempt to take control of the capital.