A Libyan court has sentenced a member of a criminal network to 30 years in prison after convicting him of human trafficking and organising the smuggling of migrants by sea.
In a statement released by the Office of the Attorney General, authorities confirmed that the Tripoli Criminal Court handed down the ruling following the conclusion of trial proceedings. The defendant was also fined 90,000 Libyan dinars.
According to prosecutors, the Attorney General initiated criminal proceedings after establishing that the accused had been actively involved in an organised criminal group engaged in human trafficking and the unlawful facilitation of migrant smuggling operations across the Mediterranean.
Investigations revealed that members of the network deliberately arranged irregular sea crossings and subjected some migrants to severe abuses. The statement noted that several victims were deprived of their liberty and held in coercive conditions amounting to practices akin to slavery.
The prosecution presented evidence demonstrating the defendant’s role in coordinating and supporting these illegal activities, which targeted vulnerable individuals seeking to leave Libya by sea. Judicial authorities stressed that such crimes represent grave violations of human rights and national law.
The court’s ruling was issued during the final session of the trial, marking one of the most significant sentences handed down in recent months in cases related to migrant smuggling and trafficking.
Libya has long faced challenges linked to irregular migration and organised crime networks operating along its coastline. Authorities have pledged to intensify efforts to dismantle trafficking rings and hold perpetrators accountable through the judicial system.
