On Saturday, Libya’s Parliament formally rejected the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) over crimes committed on Libyan soil between 2011 and 2027, reaffirming that Libya’s judiciary is capable of handling such cases independently.
In a statement issued by the Parliament’s Justice and National Reconciliation Committee, lawmakers criticised the outgoing Government of National Unity for unilaterally accepting the ICC’s involvement in domestic criminal matters without national consensus or legal authority.
Parliament spokesperson Abdullah Blaiheg, citing the committee, said Libya’s judicial institutions remain fully competent and willing to prosecute crimes committed within the country. He emphasized that the ICC must operate only within the framework of complementarity, as defined by its founding Rome Statute — which means the court should intervene only when national courts are unwilling or unable to act.
“The ICC is not a substitute for Libyan courts,” the committee stated. “No justice system overrides national sovereignty, and international mechanisms must respect the independence of domestic legal institutions.”
Lawmakers warned that inviting external jurisdiction not only undermines the Libyan judiciary but could also sabotage ongoing national reconciliation efforts, which are critical to Libya’s political stability. They argued that the acceptance of ICC jurisdiction by a transitional government with no electoral mandate is legally and politically inappropriate.
The Parliament’s response highlights growing concern in Libya’s east over perceived external interference and attempts to internationalize the country’s legal process. Many officials believe the ICC’s involvement could politicize justice and bypass institutions working to rebuild public trust.
The committee reiterated that genuine accountability and lasting justice in Libya must come from within, through a Libyan-led process grounded in law, legitimacy, and sovereignty.
