Libya Crimes Watch (LCW), in collaboration and coordination with its partners, participated in two pivotal international events in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia. LCW delegates attended the NGO Forum from October 13 to 15, followed by their participation in the 81st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, convened from October 17 to 21.
Throughout these engagements, LCW spotlighted a spectrum of critical human rights issues in Libya. Primary among these were violations of women’s rights and gender-based violence, with the organization presenting comprehensive data and updates on ongoing cases. LCW also underscored the escalating challenges to freedom of expression, opinion, and association, presenting extensively documented instances of suppression targeting activists and journalists.
Furthermore, LCW provided a detailed briefing on practices of enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention, emphasizing the necessity of holding those responsible for these grave crimes accountable, as they represent flagrant violations of human rights.
Nourhan Mustafa, the legal advisor at the LCW, commented : “Since 2012, Libya has not engaged with the mechanism for reviewing its human rights file before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, nor with the UN mechanisms for human rights protection, which raises concerns about its commitment to international human rights standards.”
In its interventions, LCW advocated for a more proactive role of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in exerting pressure on Libyan authorities to cease these persistent violations. They further emphasized the criticality of enhancing synergies between the African Commission and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, within the framework of implementing the Addis Ababa roadmap for improving the human rights situation in Libya.
These participations come as part of LCW’s ongoing efforts to promote human rights in Libya, through a strategy focused on international and regional advocacy for human rights issues in the country, LCW seeks to mobilize the necessary international support to address human rights challenges in Libya and pressure Libyan authorities to fulfill their commitments to international human rights standards.
