JURIST Supported by the University of Pittsburgh

 The Libya Conflict

The conflict in Libya arose out of protests beginning February 15, 2011, in the eastern city of Benghazi. The protest came as part of a wider protest movement that had spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa. On February 23, Benghazi fell under the control of protesters after the defection of prominent military officers stationed in the city. In a bid to end the unrest, the government announced constitutional reforms and warned of civil war if the protests continued. Shortly after, 230 protester deaths were reported, prompting the UN to accuse the Libyan government of committing crimes against humanity. The UN Human Rights Council soon followed suit in condemning the actions of Gaddafi's government and later acting to suspend Libya from the body, as Libyan diplomats and government officials began to defect from Gaddafi's government, citing the violence against protesters. Following international intervention and several months of stalemate, opposition forces seized control of Tripoli, the Libyan capital, and later captured and killed Gaddafi on October 20, 2011.... [more]

  TIMELINE

1/15/13: Libyan Justice Minister announced trial of Gaddafi son, intelligence chief

8/11/12: Libya national assembly elected Gaddafi opponent for interim president

10/23/11: Libya PM declared official liberation from Gaddafi regime

10/21/11: UN rights office called for investigation into Gaddafi killing

10/20/11: Muammar Gaddafi killed by opposition fighters

10/13/11: AI report accused Libya interim government of prisoner abuse

10/9/11: UN urged human rights respect as Libya conflict ended

9/28/11: Libya issued arrest warrant for ex-PM Al-Mahmoudi

9/26/11: Libya announced plan to abolish state security courts

9/25/11: Libya leaders began formation of interim government

...[more]
  ACADEMIC COMMENTARY
Forum: Headaches at The Hague: The Trial of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
Forum: Expedited Justice: Gaddafi's Death and the Rise of Targeted Killings
Forum: The Rule of Law and the Extrajudicial Killing of Muammar Gaddafi
  LEGAL PROFESSIONAL COMMENTARY
Hotline: Libya and the ICC: Inspiring Transitional Justice Reform
Hotline: West Africa Organized Crime and the Libya Conflict
Hotline: Targeted Killings Increasingly Supplant Legal Justice
  STUDENT COMMENTARY
Dateline: Unintended Consequences: Gaddafi's Death and the Arab Spring
Dateline: The Lisbon Treaty and the New Framework for EU Foreign Affairs
Dateline: Judicial Diplomacy: The International Impact of the Supreme Court