The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Libyan House of Representatives, Youssef Al-Agouri, criticised what he described as “biased reports and exaggerated information” about Libya. He claimed these are part of “systematic international campaigns to distort the image of Libyan institutions.”
Al-Agouri’s remarks were made during a meeting with a team formed by the House of Representatives to review and prepare a response to a report by the United Nations Human Rights Council, according to Parliament spokesperson Abdullah Belhaq.
In July, during the Human Rights Council’s session in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, urged the international community to reconsider agreements with Libya on migration issues. Türk highlighted widespread practices of human trafficking, torture, forced labour, and starvation in detention centres, where impunity prevails.
However, Al-Agouri pointed to what he termed as “positive developments overlooked by international reports.” These include increased investments in development, the reception of Sudanese refugees, and efforts to regularise the status of irregular migrants by offering them job opportunities. He also emphasised Libya’s security campaigns against human smugglers.
Al-Agouri further noted the House of Representatives’ efforts in supporting reconciliation through relevant legislation and the assistance provided by the armed forces to those affected by natural disasters. Additionally, he highlighted Libya’s humanitarian response to migrants.
In a recent briefing to the UN Security Council, Stephanie Khouri, Acting Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), warned of alarming human rights violations in both eastern and western Libya. She expressed concern about arbitrary detention, particularly targeting women and women’s organisations, which she said hampers reconciliation efforts.
