Introduction:

In the first month of 2024, the Monitoring and Documentation Office continued its diligent efforts to observe, monitor, and document human rights violations against civilians across various regions of Libya. We express our ongoing concern regarding the persistence of arbitrary detention campaigns in Benghazi and Tripoli. During the month of January, we documented three cases, two in Benghazi and one in Tripoli, including an extrajudicial killing. Additionally, we recorded the discovery of two bodies in the sea believed to be migrants, along the coasts of Brega and Al Khums. Furthermore, we observed one person injured due to a landmine south of Tripoli.

It is crucial to emphasize that these figures represent only what has been observed and verified for accuracy by the on-the-ground monitoring team and may not necessarily reflect the full extent of the overall violations. The following are the details of the incidents.

Details:

January 7th:

On January 7th, the LCW recorded an incident in which a man was injured due to a landmine explosion on his farm in the Ain Zara area south of Tripoli. This region had been a conflict zone in 2019. The explosion caused severe injuries to his body, leading to the amputation of one of his legs and one of his hands.

January 8th:

On January 8th, the LCW documented the arrest of a social media activist by unidentified armed individuals wearing military uniforms in the city of Tripoli. A video circulated on social media capturing the moments when the armed individuals assaulted the activist, physically abused him, and forcibly took him to an undisclosed location. Ten days later, the activist announced his release through his Facebook page.

January 10th:

The LCW documented the abduction of activist Saad Ali Musa Al-Abdali, 34 years old, from his workplace in the Birsas area east of Benghazi on January 10, 2024. At precisely 3:00 PM, armed individuals wearing military uniforms affiliated with the 106th Battalion of the Libyan Armed Forces, riding in three opaque military vehicles, forcibly invaded Al-Abdali’s workplace. They abducted him, taking him by force to one of the vehicles and transporting him to an undisclosed location. He was released after three days without any legal procedures. Al-Abdali had previously experienced an attempted abduction in the Birsas area on December 22, 2023, by two armed and masked individuals in a civilian car.

January 14th:

On January 14th, the LCW reported the discovery of a decomposed, unidentified body on the beach in the Silein area near the city of Al Khums, western Libya. It is believed to be that of a migrant. The Red Crescent of Libya recovered the body and handed it over to local authorities to take necessary measures for identifying the victim.

January 17th:

The LCW recorded the retrieval of a decomposed body of a woman found in the sea near the city of Brega on January 17, 2024. According to the documents found with the body, she was born in 1987, of Syrian nationality, and is presumed to be a migrant. The Security Directorate of Brega announced that the body was transferred to Al-Muqaryaf Hospital in Ajdabiya and then referred to the forensic department.

January 21st:

On January 21st, the LCW documented the killing of Adel Al-Zarrouq Qadir, 58 years old, one day after his abduction by members of the Internal Security Apparatus near his home on Twenty Street in Benghazi. The victim’s body, showing signs of violence and torture, was handed over to his family without clarification on the cause of death.

January 29th:

The LCW reported the abduction of activist Nasser Al-Hawari from the Janzour area in Tripoli on the evening of Monday, January 29th, by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). He was forcibly taken to an unknown location, and communication with him was severed. According to information received by Al-Hawari’s family, he is believed to be in detention at the Mitiga Prison, affiliated with the Al Radaa for Countering Terrorism and Organized Crime.

Recommendations:

• The Libya Crimes Watch calls on the authorities in Libya to conduct an immediate, transparent, and impartial investigation into all documented violations, including arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings. Perpetrators should be brought to justice before an independent and fair judiciary, ensuring the right to life and the right to bodily and mental integrity as protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• We urge the Libyan authorities to release all arbitrarily detained individuals immediately and without conditions.
• We call on the Libyan authorities to take all necessary measures to protect human rights defenders, journalists, migrants, and other vulnerable groups from violations, including arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, and other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. This is in accordance with the right to freedom of expression and opinion outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the right to bodily and psychological safety.
• We implore the Libyan authorities to remove all mines and war remnants from Libyan territory and provide medical and psychological support to victims.
• The Libya Crimes Watch reiterates its call for Libyan authorities to take responsibility for rescuing migrants along migration routes and at sea. Effective mechanisms for search and rescue should be established to prevent migrant casualties, locate the missing, and identify their identities.
• The Libya Crimes Watch appeals to the international community to work towards establishing an independent mechanism to ensure justice for the victims and enhance accountability efforts, promoting the rule of law in Libya.