The Human Rights, Transitional Justice, and Rule of Law Division of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) hosted a dialogue seminar titled “Towards Safer and More Humanitarian Prisons” in Tunisia. This event, significant for its inclusive participation of senior officers from the Judicial Police across Libya, marks a critical step in addressing prison conditions and prisoners’ rights.
In a statement released on Thursday evening, UNSMIL announced that the seminar forms part of ongoing programs aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the Judicial Police in Libya.
The discussions centered around international detention standards, prison management, fundamental rights of prisoners under international humanitarian law and human rights law, the use of force, crisis management, and emergency planning.
Participants agreed on several recommendations, including the need to establish a specialized institute for the Judicial Police, the development of prison infrastructure, improvement of healthcare access for detainees, and finding solutions to alleviate overcrowding in prisons.
This seminar signifies a proactive approach by the UN and Libyan authorities towards improving prison conditions, and safeguarding the rights of detainees in Libya. These discussions and the resultant recommendations underscore a commitment to upholding international standards in prison management, and prisoner treatment.
On Thursday, UNSMIL confirmed the death of Mahdi Al-Barghathi, Libya’s former Defence Minister during the Government of National Accord (GNA). Al-Barghathi and seven other figures, including his son, were detained by the Libyan National Army (LNA) following violent clashes in Benghazi on 6 October.
In a statement, UNSMIL expressed deep concern regarding Al-Barghathi’s death, highlighting that it occurred after his arrest along with dozens, including family members, on 7 October.
The Mission stated that seven of the detainees died in custody, amid troubling allegations of mistreatment. However, the exact causes of death remain unclear, due to the scarcity of official information.