On Wedneaday, nearly 30 international organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Sea-Watch, are demanding that the European Union freeze its financial support to Libya.
Their call comes after Libyan authorities uncovered mass graves in Kufra, containing dozens of African migrants near an illegal detention center.
Libyan investigators found at least 50 bodies buried in two locations. One grave, on a remote farm, contained 19 victims, while another, found in a human trafficking camp, held more than 30.
Some had been shot before burial. The shocking discovery has intensified criticism of EU-backed migration policies.
Rights groups argue that European funding has failed to protect migrants. Instead, they claim it has enabled abuses, with many migrants facing torture, forced labor, and extortion in detention centers run by militias and smugglers.
They are calling for the EU to redirect its funding to life-saving operations and safer migration routes.
Libya remains a key transit country for migrants heading to Europe. Many are intercepted at sea and sent to detention centers where abuse is widespread. Despite repeated reports of human rights violations, the EU continues to fund Libya’s coast guard and migration enforcement.
Libya has long been a dangerous route for migrants from Africa and the Middle East. Many attempt the journey across the Mediterranean, hoping to reach Europe, but often fall victim to human traffickers and armed groups.
Reports of kidnapping, forced labor, sexual abuse, and inhumane conditions in detention centers have been well-documented by international organizations.
The recent mass grave discovery in Kufra is not an isolated incident. Similar findings have been reported in other parts of Libya, exposing the brutal conditions migrants endure. Many are held in camps controlled by militias, where they are tortured for ransom or sold into forced labor.
The EU’s migration policy has come under intense scrutiny. Since 2017, the EU has worked closely with Libya’s coast guard and authorities to stop migrants from crossing to Europe. Billions of euros have been allocated to migration control, but instead of improving conditions, human rights abuses have escalated.
