United Nations Human Rights Council
63rd Regular Session – General Debate Item 4
Oral Statement of the International Commission of Jurists
Mr. President,
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) considers that the widespread and systematic human rights violations and abuses that persist across Libya demand the Council’s urgent attention.
In western Libya, there is a widespread practice of torture and other ill-treatment by armed groups and security forces, including those affiliated with the Ministries of Interior and Defence of the Government of National Unity, with at least four documented custodial deaths in the past six months. To date, there have been no effective investigations into these deaths.
In eastern Libya, more than 30 people were executed in August and September 2026 following the wrongful use of military trials under the authority of the Military Prosecutor General, in proceedings lacking fair trial guarantees and transparency. These deaths constitute an unlawful resumption of executions after years without recorded executions in Libya, and violate the right to life and the right to a fair trial by competent, independent and impartial tribunals established by law.
Three years after the Council terminated the Independent Fact-Finding Mission, almost complete impunity persists at the domestic level. Despite having accepted the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction, the Libyan authorities have failed to arrest and surrender suspects wanted by the Court, and the recent conviction and sentencing of one of them, Elmasri Njeem, followed proceedings that lacked any semblance of transparency or victim participation.
The ICJ calls on the Council to move expeditiously to re-establish, at a minimum, an effective human rights monitoring and reporting mechanism.
Thank you.
Statement delivered by: Sandra Epal-Ratjen, ICJ International Advocacy Director
For more information, contact: Sandra.epal@icj.org
