In her UNSC address on 16 December, acting SRSG to Libya Stephanie Koury noted that arbitrary arrests and detention persist across the country, expressing concern about deaths in custody with 4 deaths, including two women, since her last briefing. She called on Libyan authorities to grant UNSMIL unimpeded access to all detention centres
Ali Omar, Director of Libya Crimes Watch, also spoke at the UNSC session, highlighting systematic and recurrent crimes carried out by security agencies and military groups, including the Libyan Armed Air Forces, the Government of National Unity (GNU), the Government of National Stability (GNS) and the Presidential Council. ‘The failure of past political processes has not only prolonged the conflict but also created a breeding ground for impunity,’ he stressed, asking how a country where senior positions are held by individuals accused of war crimes can organize fair elections. He called for the establishment of an independent international mechanism to investigate violations and identify individuals who exploit impunity to obstruct political and transitional justice processes.
The UN Secretary General’s Report on Libya dated 10 December and covering the period 9 August to 4 December 2024 said that enforced disappearances as well as arbitrary arrests and detention continued throughout Libya, contributing to a climate of fear. In addition, UNSMIL continued to document systematic violations of due process and the right to a fair trial, including inadequate legal represen tation; procedural delays, caused by detained individuals not being brought to court to attend hearings; and frequent adjournments, which contributed to prolonged pretrial detention.