On 2 June, Human Rights Watch published a report called ‘Injustice by Design: Need for Comprehensive Justice Reform in Libya.’ The report highlighted a litany of issues and concerns with the Libyan justice system. It is fragmented and deeply polarized. The judiciary is unwilling and unable to conduct meaningful investigations into serious human rights violations and international crimes, while the justice system is marked by serious due process violations. Unaccountable militias control prisons and detention centers, which are only nominally under the auspices of multiple state ministries and authorities. Libya’s Penal Code and other related legislation are outdated, do not address international crimes, and require comprehensive reform to bring them in line with its international human rights obligations. Libya’s domestic legislation includes repressive and abusive provisions and laws.
