Libya rescues 263 illegal immigrants from abusive group News
DFID - UK Department for International Development, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Libya rescues 263 illegal immigrants from abusive group

Libya’s Criminal Investigation Agency announced the rescue of over two hundred illegal immigrants in Al-Wahat district from a gang that tortured, abused and mistreated them on Friday. The rescued came from countries such as Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia, and were subject to horrific conditions, malnutrition, and sexual violence.

According to the agency, twenty-five of the rescued have been sent to the hospital due to the mistreatment they suffered, and the rest are currently being housed at the authorities’ headquarters. The agency also reported that the involved organizations took hostage the detainees and extorted families for ransom.

At least two individuals were arrested in relation to the illegal operation, but Libyan authorities are still tracking down the other members of the gang to bring them to justice.

Libya is known for being the nation that refugees flee from in order to reach Europe. According to the UNHCR, it remains the main departure point in Africa for refugees seeking safety and opportunity. Due to this reputation, however, the journey to Libya and trying to flee to Europe has become increasingly dangerous for these migrants.

In a 2020 report, Amnesty International stated that at least at least 400,000 people within Libya have been displaced since the fall of Gaddafi in 2011, with an additional 600,000 migrants from other nations living in the country in 2020 in search of an exit point to flee to Europe. Many face rape, torture and other abuses to get there. Many of the migrants in these situations either die from abuse or from the attempt to flee their dire situations. The 2024 US Department of State report also observed forced labor, sexual violence and abuses of migrants in detention centers controlled by Libya’s Department to Combat Illegal Migration.

Amnesty International urged Libya and the international community to protect refugees and migrants in Libya from serious human rights violations and to protect them from arbitrary detention, prohibited by Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

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