The National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) has called for the immediate suspension of municipal elections in several Libyan districts, citing widespread violations, fraud, and security breaches during the electoral process.
In a statement, the NHRI reported documenting multiple irregularities at polling stations in Suwani Bin Adam, Hay Al-Andalus, and Central Tripoli municipalities. These included preventing observers from entering certain polling stations, such as the Al-Khwarizmi, Ali Wraith, and Sakina Bint Al-Hussein centers, and denying them access to the ballot box sealing process.
The institution also highlighted an armed assault near a polling station in Suwani Bin Adam, where gunfire was used to intimidate voters, domestic monitors, and representatives of competing electoral lists. Several candidates’ agents were reportedly expelled from polling centers, with some being barred from entry altogether.
In Hay Al-Andalus, the NHRI documented the removal of the “Islah List” from ballot papers in multiple stations, raising concerns about fairness and equal representation.
The NHRI expressed grave concern over the situation in Suwani Bin Adam, stressing that these violations undermined citizens’ political rights and their ability to freely choose their representatives. It warned that barring observers and candidate agents contradicted international standards and national electoral procedures.
The statement also pointed to the failure to implement biometric fingerprinting, despite repeated requests to the High National Elections Commission (HNEC). The absence of this safeguard, the NHRI said, facilitated ballot manipulation and voter fraud, directly impacting results in some polling centers.
Furthermore, the institution received formal complaints from electoral lists whose representatives were denied the right to monitor the vote, undermining equality and fair competition. It described these incidents as a severe breach of political rights and a blow to the credibility of the electoral process.
The NHRI held the High National Elections Commission legally responsible for failing to guarantee transparency, while also blaming the Ministry of Interior under Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba’s Government of National Unity for security lapses and assaults that took place at several centers.
The institution demanded an immediate suspension of the elections until a transparent and comprehensive review of all affected polling stations is conducted. It further urged authorities to guarantee Libyan citizens the right to participate in credible and fair elections, essential for restoring public trust in the democratic process and preserving national stability.
