Un investigations after the discovery of corpses in Libyan prisoners
Un investigations after the discovery of corpses in Libyan prisoners
The United Nations call for an independent examination after the discovery of dozens of corpses and references to human rights violations in adhesives led by militias in the Libyan capital Tripolis.
shocking human rights violations
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said on Wednesday that he was "shocked" of the revelations about serious human rights violations that have come to light in places that are carried out by the Libyan militia. He demanded that the locations "remove" immediately and that the Libyan authorities carry out "fast, independent, impartial and transparent examinations".
background to the SSA
The SSA (stabilized Support Apparatus) founded in 2021 is a umbrella organization of militias that are active in the west of Libya and have already been with serious allegations regarding atrocities and human rights violations in connection with violence, the Libya since the fall of Moammar Gadhafis regime were shaken, confronted.
disturbing finds
The reports that were received by his office between 18 and 21 May Document the exhumation of 10 "burned corpses" at the headquarters of the SSA in the Abu Salim district in Tripolis. In addition, 67 corpses in refrigerators in the Abu Salim and Al Khadra hospitals were discovered in the capital, with some of the remains being heavily decayed due to power failures.
further discoveries
According to reports, a burial location in the Tripolis zoo, which is under the control of the SSA, was also discovered. The identity of the victims remains unclear. In addition to the corpses, "suspicious torture instruments and evidence of possible extrajudicial executions" were found. "Our worst fears are confirmed," said Türk.urgent need to preserve the evidence
he emphasized the crucial need to secure evidence. "These locations have to be sealed, and all potential evidence must be kept in order to support immediate accountability. Those responsible for these hideous acts must be held for these hideous acts immediately and according to international standards," he said.
Access to the locations
Türk also expressed concern that Libyan forensic authorities who are commissioned to exhumation and identification have so far not received access to the locations, and demanded unrestricted access. He also called Libya to give the United Nations access to document the injuries in the context of their mandate.
condemnation of the spread of images
The Hochkommissar condemned the spread of "gruesome pictures and video material" of the locations in social media and insisted that "dignity and privacy of the victims and the rights of their families have to be respected."
consequences of the violent arguments
The dark discoveries follow the killing of the SSA leader Abdulghani Kikli in May and the subsequent clashes between state security forces and armed groups. These arguments led to protests that demanded an end to violence in Tripolis, which, according to Türk, were apparently answered with "unnecessary violence", which led to deaths among civilians and police officers as well as damage to property, including hospitals.
political crisis in Libya
This “causes serious concerns about the guarantee of fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly as well as the need to protect the civilian space,” emphasized Türk. Libya has been in a political crisis since the fall of the long -time dictator Gaddafi in 2011 that led to the distribution of armed groups across the country.
Current situation in Libya
although a ceasefire arrangement brought in in October 2020, while try to take control of the capital.