The UN call comes months after a probe found widespread human rights abuses against Libyans and migrants in Libya. War-torn Libya is a prime departure point for migrants in sub-saharan Africa to enter Europe.
The United Nations (UN) called on Libya to end its arbitrary detention and mass expulsions of migrants and demanded that migrants be treated with dignity, reported news agency Agence France Press yesterday (12 June).
The North African country has been accused of arresting men, women, and children from the streets and their homes and detaining them in overcrowded detention centers.
The UN agencies also called on Libyan authorities to grant aid organizations "unimpeded access to detainees in need of urgent protection."
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that there are more than 600,000 migrants stranded in Libya.
The call comes after the findings of a UN-backed probe found "grave and widespread human rights violations" and "reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity were committed against Libyans and migrants."
"Migrants, in particular, have been targeted and there is overwhelming evidence that they have been systematically tortured," the UN said in a statement.
In the joint statement penned in March, several human rights and civil society organizations urged the UN to establish accountability mechanisms to address the "impunity crisis" in Libya.
Departure point for migrants
Libya is a prime departure point for migrants who trudge through the country’s expansive deserts to flee armed conflict and economic hardship in sub-Saharan Africa.
Libya collapsed into a failed state following the ousting of dictator Muammar Gaddafi, in 2011 by a NATO-led bombing campaign. Since then, the oil-rich African nation has been divided into two rival political administrations that are run by militias and armed groups.
For years, human rights organizations have widely criticized the Libyan government, accusing it of rampant human rights violations and acting with impunity.
International rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has continuously documented the deplorable living conditions of migrants and asylum seekers there. In interviews conducted by HRW, migrants crammed in detention centers reported being tortured and deprived of food and water.
Problematic Ally for EU
Because of its large Mediterranean coast, European countries have continued to try and seek agreement with the UN-recognized government in Libya and have provided funding for the Libyan coast guard to try and stem migration from the country.
In 2015, when migrant arrivals in Europe reached their peak, EU member states scrambled to manage the uptick in arrivals of asylum seekers through country agreements with various African states regarding the enforcement of tighter border control measures and financial aid.
The multi-billion euro EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) was established in cooperation with African countries to "address the root causes of irregular migration" and cut the numbers of new arrivals into Europe.
Read more: Tunisian coast guard recovers more bodies of sub-Saharan migrants
In 2017, the Italian government signed an EU-sponsored agreement with the Libyan Coast Guard on patrolling the Mediterranean and effectively setting up borders at sea. An estimated €10.5 million was set aside in 2021 for financial support and surveillance assets in line with this agreement.
Vessels carrying migrants are regularly intercepted by the Libyan naval authorities, with those on board forcibly returned and placed in detention centers.
Read more: Libyan coast guard intercepts and takes migrants back to Libya
In 2020, at least 45 migrants and refugees died in a shipwreck off the Libyan coast. Since the start of this year, more than 7,000 migrants have been intercepted at sea and returned to Libya, the IOM said.
Rights organization Doctors without Borders, (MSF) have criticized the deals with the Libyan coast guard and authorities. "This help comes at the expense of migrants' and refugees’ human rights, as virtually everyone intercepted at sea by the Libyan Coastguard ends up in a Libyan detention center. The agreement between Italy and Libya supports the system of exploitation, extortion, and abuse in which so many migrants find themselves trapped," said MSF in a statement.
The UN Migration Agency, IOM documented 441 migrant deaths in the Central Mediterranean in the first quarter of 2023, making this year the deadliest first quarter on record since 2017.
The Central Mediterranean route, which stretches from North Africa to Italy and Malta, is the world’s most dangerous maritime crossing.