Ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and ensure that national legislation is fully aligned with international human rights law. Provisions that criminalise torture, enforced disappearances and discrimination should be reviewed and amended, including ensuring that acts of torture committed outside of state detention are punishable, and addressing state responsibility to ensure humane living conditions.
2
Establish independent oversight bodies responsible for investigating and prosecuting cases of police brutality, particularly in the Sabha, Tobruk, Sirt, Benghazi, Zawiya and Tripoli police stations. An independent body should be granted access to monitor and document such violations, enabling identification of patterns and trends in close cooperation with civil society.
3
Implement mandatory human rights training for all police officers, with a focus on the prohibition of torture, ill-treatment, and excessive use of force. Specialised training should be provided on de-escalation techniques, ensuring that police officers are regularly updated on relevant laws, regulations, and international human rights standards.
4
Increase the State's engagement with civil society, and integrate respect for human rights, particularly prevention and protection from torture as a core element of future political dialogues. The State should adopt a protection law for judicial staff, lawyers, and experts as well as a specific law to protect witnesses and judicial authorities who have fallen victim to armed groups.
5
Ensure the independence of the judiciary from state influence, and offer protection, through a witness protection law, to all individuals involved in combating torture and unlawful detention.
6
Establish an independent body responsible for receiving and investigating torture allegations, both inside Libya and involving Libyan actors abroad. Amend national laws to ensure robust enforcement and protection mechanisms, consistent monitoring of investigations, and to address all forms of discrimination and inhuman treatment.
7
Guarantee that victims deprived of their liberty are granted access to a lawyer, medical staff, family members, and judicial safeguards, as required by the Libyan Procedure Code of 1953 and in accordance with international standards.
8
Enable the International Criminal Court to conduct investigations in the country into crimes against humanity committed in Tarhunah from 2015 to 2020 and fully cooperate with its proceedings.
9
Agree to the Libyan Civil Society Organisation (CSO) proposal for a law addressing violence against women from 2021, and implement child protection laws that comply with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, extending these protections to migrant children.
10
Repeal restrictive laws such as Law No. 19 of 2001, amend those that criminalise Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), revise cybercrime legislation to safeguard the privacy of defenders, lawyers and victims, and end arbitrary arrests, detentions and harassment. Additionally, public awareness campaigns should be conducted to counteract negative social media narratives aimed at civil society organisations, and emphasising the value of HRDs in promoting a fair society.
Good practices
Political Commitment Against Torture
In 2024, significant developments occurred in the fight against human trafficking and organised crime. The General Attorney's Office agreed to collaborate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigations into the massacre in Tarhuna, and the ICC prosecutor announced the arrest and extradition of suspects involved in human trafficking-related crimes, including individuals responsible for brutal violence, sexual abuse, and extortion against victims. 13 human traffickers were arrested in August for operating warehouses where migrants were detained and tortured in Al-Kufra and Tazerbo. In September the General Attorney's Office continued its efforts by arresting 11 human traffickers accused of torture, rape, and the detention of migrants.
Ending Impunity
In 2023, a federal judge in Virginia ruled that General Khalifa Haftar had failed to cooperate with the court and was liable to pay damages to the families of the victims of his 2023 military campaign in Libya. Haftar, who holds dual US and Libyan citizenship, was sued under the Torture Victim Protection Act for his alleged role in the indiscriminate bombing of civilians during his 2019 offensive in Tripoli. The plaintiffs argued that Haftar, as the head of the Libyan National Army, was responsible for authorising these attacks, which resulted in the deaths of their family members. While Haftar may still appeal the decision, the ruling represents a significant step towards holding him accountable for his actions.
Transparency and Access to Information
Access to information must be guaranteed in every society, both in law and practice, to ensure State transparency and accountability. It allows organisations, journalists, and interested individuals to request data on the actions of public bodies, protocols, and statistics on human rights violations. This right not only enhances public debate and civic participation in decision-making but also helps improve public policies and safeguards the dignity of individuals in State custody. Civil society organisations and human rights defenders play a key role in monitoring access to information laws and their implementation. This indicator reflects the challenges of accessing information within the country—the higher the score, the less transparent the State.
I am a Libyan human rights defender, and I faced relentless persecution by security groups. I was kidnapped, tortured, and subjected to other forms of abuse but eventually managed to flee to another country. The armed groups responsible for my kidnapping remain active in Libya until today, making my return impossible. Many others have also been subjected to kidnapping, torture, and harassment. The Libyan government spreads misinformation, labelling activists as 'spies,' 'atheists,' or working for foreign agendas. I continue to feel unsafe leading me to believe that I remain in danger, even here in Tunisia where I sought asylum and where I now stay with no job.
