UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has expressed shock and concern at human rights violations committed by armed groups in Tripoli, calling for accountability.
On 4 June, Türk said he was shocked by revelations of gross human rights violations uncovered at official and unofficial detention facilities run by the Stabilization Support Apparatus (SSA) force in Tripoli, calling for the sites to be sealed, and for prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigations by the Libyan authorities. Türk said the discoveries confirm the longstanding findings by the UN Support Mission in Libya and the former UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission, as well as from various witness accounts, regarding the existence of such sites and the extent of violations committed in connection with them, including torture and enforced disappearances.
Türk said, ‘Our worst held fears are being confirmed: dozens of bodies have been discovered at these sites, along with the discovery of suspected instruments of torture and abuse, and potential evidence of extrajudicial killings. These sites must be sealed and all potential evidence preserved in support of immediate accountability efforts. Those responsible for these atrocious acts must be brought to justice without delay, in accordance with international standards.’
He said he was troubled by reports that Libya’s forensic authorities mandated to exhume and identify human remains have yet to be granted access to excavate the sites, and urged the authorities to grant full and unimpeded access to all sites. He added he was distressed that horrifying images and video footage of the sites had been shared on social media, stressing that the dignity and privacy of the victims and the rights of their families must be respected. Türk called on the authorities to grant the United Nations access to the sites as part of its mandate to document human rights violations.