Amnesty International reveals that the Internal Security Agency (ISA) in eastern Libya commits serious human rights abuses, including arbitrary detentions and torture. They urge the Government of National Unity (GNU) not to finance these groups, particularly as the House of Representatives reviews a budget proposal that allocates funds to them. The report highlights the urgent need for accountability and a halt to the legitimization of abusive militias in Libya.
Amnesty International has reported alarming human rights violations by the Internal Security Agency (ISA), a coalition of armed groups in eastern Libya. This organization has engaged in arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and torture to silence dissent. The House of Representatives is reviewing a budget proposal that would allocate funds to these abusive groups, prompting calls for the Government of National Unity (GNU) to refrain from legitimizing such entities.
The ISA incorporates numerous former security officials from the Gaddafi regime, employing violent tactics reminiscent of that era. Amnesty’s Regional Director, Heba Morayef, stated that these groups have inflicted grave abuses on critics and opponents, including targeting individuals based on tribal affiliations. The report urges the GNU to refrain from financially supporting these militias and instead focus on accountability for the abuses committed.
Amnesty’s investigations reveal troubling practices, with armed ISA members forcibly abducting individuals in public without warrants and placing them in secret detention, leading to enforced disappearances and torture. Victims reported severe beatings and threats of execution. A case exemplifying this included a man who faced violent reprisals for a social media post critical of Covid-19 measures.
The targeting of specific tribes has also emerged, particularly against the Maghabra tribe due to alleged affiliations with opposition figures. Women have not been exempt from these abductions; women perceived as opposing the LAAF have been detained. One notable case involved the abduction of Haneen al-Abduli for her public calls for justice following her mother’s assassination.
Moreover, the ISA has maintained a climate of fear, monitoring and intimidating activists and critics through threats and coercion. The proposed budget for the GNU allocates substantial funds to these militias, including 260 million LYD directed to the ISA and 2.5 billion LYD to the LAAF. This financial support raises concerns about governmental complicity in the ongoing cycle of abuse.
Libya has long struggled with divisions between rival entities after 2014, and the ISA surfaced as a consequence of these power dynamics, particularly in areas seized by the LAAF. These armed groups operate under their own leaders yet remain under the nominal command of the LAAF, reinforcing a structure of violence and impunity in the region. Despite the existence of another ISA entity aligned with the GNU in the west, the legacy of violence and abuse continues to plague the nation, emphasizing the urgent need for accountability and reform.
The situation in Libya exemplifies significant concerns regarding human rights and the legitimization of abusive militias. Amnesty International’s findings underscore the importance of holding perpetrators accountable rather than funding entities responsible for grave abuses. The advancement of meaningful reforms and accountability measures is essential for restoring the rule of law and protecting human rights in Libya.
Original Source: www.amnesty.org
