The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has expressed deep concern over a rising wave of arbitrary arrests and detentions across the country, targeting legal professionals, politicians, and civilians. The Mission warns that these practices undermine judicial independence, create an atmosphere of fear, and erode the rule of law.
According to UNSMIL, security and law enforcement agencies have been using their authority to detain individuals based on alleged political affiliations or perceived dissent. Several legal professionals have been targeted, including Judge Ali Al Shareef, who was violently arrested in Tripoli on March 10, and lawyer Mounir Al-Orfi, who has been arbitrarily detained in Benghazi since March 12. Additionally, two military prosecutors, Mansour Da’aoub and Mohammed al-Mabrouk al-Kar, have remained in detention since 2022 without due process.
Prominent political figures have also been affected. House of Representatives member Ali Hassan Jaballah endured over a year of arbitrary detention before being sentenced by a military tribunal in October 2024, in a trial marred by irregularities. Meanwhile, Mohamed Mensli, head of Libya’s Asset Recovery Management Office (LARMO), has been held in detention since January 7, with limited legal representation and reports of deteriorating health conditions.
UNSMIL further condemned the use of coerced video confessions, which are later broadcast online to intimidate detainees and suppress opposition. The Mission insists that such confessions should be deemed inadmissible in legal proceedings and urges accountability for those responsible.
While UNSMIL acknowledges recent improvements in gaining access to detention facilities, it calls for unrestricted oversight to address systemic abuses. The Mission reaffirms that arbitrary detentions only serve to weaken Libya’s path toward democracy, diminish public trust in law enforcement, and violate fundamental human rights.
UNSMIL has renewed its demand for the immediate release of all individuals held in arbitrary detention and urges Libyan authorities to ensure accountability for those responsible for these human rights violations.
