The spokesperson for Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Libya, Salwa Abu Chakra, said that the conditions of displaced people in Libya were turning from bad to worse as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the escalation of the conflict in Libya.
Abu Chakra added that Libya was already not a safe place for migrants and refugees, as they were at high risk of being exposed to violence, extreme exploitation, arbitrary arrests and illegal detention.
The spokesperson clarified that MSF was operating under the current conditions in the country, with a “local and decentralized approach that has helped us secure our health and humanitarian activities according to humanitarian need, regardless of political affiliations”.
Approximately 1,500 people were being held in official detention centers under the authority of the Illegal Immigration Agency. These people were exposed to great risks in light of the spread of COVID-19, with no preventative measures being undertaken to aid them.