On 6 November, Government of National Unity (GNU) Minister of Interior Emad Trabelsi announced plans to introduce a ‘morality police’ and a women’s police unit to counter behaviour he believes undermines traditional Libyan identity. This includes non-wearing of the hijab, some western-style clothing, ‘inappropriate’ hairstyles for young men, and mixed-gender gatherings in public spaces. Trabelsi also announced plans to make the hijab mandatory in schools from the fourth grade onward in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, as well as place restrictions on women’s travel, specifically requiring women to be ac companied by a mahram (a male guardian) for certain trips.
The minister said that everyone who wants to live differently to this should go and live in Europe. He underscored his commitment to protect Libya’s culture from ‘harmful foreign influences’. He called on citizens to cooperate with the police and other security personnel.
On 7 November, PM Abdul Hameed Dabaiba discussed – among other – these plans with Trabelsi in a meeting. On some social media it was speculated that this might lead to a reprimand of Trabelsi by the PM due to the bluntness of his statements or his sacking.
Human rights activists announced their strong condemnation of Trabelsi’s statements, saying that they included threats to use force and restrictions on private and public freedoms. They noted that all this harms the rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals and contradicts the principles set out in the constitutional declaration and the laws in force in Libya. According to them, this is a ‘dangerous re treat’ from the achievements of the Libyan people in the field of freedom. The activists demanded an apology from Trabelsi.
On 8 November, Amnesty International’s Libya Researcher, Bassam al-Kantar, condemned ‘threats’ by MoI Trabelsi to suppress basic freedom in the name of morality and demanded he cancel the plans. According to Amnesty, this is a dangerous escalation in the already stifling levels of suppression in Libya. This constitutes a violation of Libya’s obligations under international law, violating women’s rights and equality.
On 10 November, the European Union Ambassador to Libya, Nicola Orlando, and the British Ambassa dor to Libya, Martin Longden, raised the issue of rights and freedoms during separate meetings with MoI Trabelsi. Orlando ‘underscored that the EU’s commitment to our partnership remains firmly rooted in respect for universal human rights and humanitarian principles, as well as Libyan sovereignty and culture.’ However, the main focus of Orlando’s meeting was on the EU-GNU migration partner ship, reviewing progress since the July Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum and exploring paths for deeper cooperation. Orlando noted an ‘impressive 87% year-on-year increase in voluntary migrant returns, a result of EU-backed reforms and strong cooperation’ and said they agreed to further strengthen land border management. Longden called his meeting with Trabelsi a ‘useful and candid conversation.’