On 30 May, the National Institution for Human Rights in Libya (NIHRL) confirmed the extrajudicial killing of Saif al-Nasr Sneidel, a militiaman sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, following his discovery under suspicious circumstances at the Benghazi Medical Centre. According to NIHRL, Sneidel was seized by a group of unidentified, masked gunmen from his home in Benghazi and his body was later found at the 1200 Hospital in the city earlier this year. Authorities in eastern Libya have remained silent and have not disclosed any information regarding his killing.
The NIHRL said it considers the extrajudicial killing of Saif Sneidel to be nothing more than an attempt to conceal and obscure the truth, obstruct the course of justice, deny the rights of victims and those affected, and hide the record of crimes and grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. It called upon the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Benghazi Court of Appeal and the Benghazi Security Directorate to open a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing.
On 2 June, the ICC reportedly said it has no official confirmation of reports that Sneidel has died. The court said it is closely monitoring developments and will seek to verify his fate through the relevant legal channels. It added that any decision regarding judicial proceedings against him depends on the outcome of that verification.