On Friday, the US Embassy in Libya said it shares the UN Support Mission in Libya’s (UNSMIL) concerns over electoral-related violence in the country.
“Attacks against judicial or election facilities or judicial or election personnel are not only criminal acts, punishable under Libyan law, but also undermine Libyans’ right to participate in the political process,” the Embassy tweeted.
Earlier today, UNSMIL stressed the importance of protecting the electoral process in Libya.
The mission stressed that the attack on electoral and legal facilities was unacceptable. This came in a statement after the attack on the Sebha courthouse on Thursday.
UNSMIL referred to Security Council Resolution 2570 (2021), and the Paris Conference outcomes, the latest of which was the Security Council’s presidential statement on accountability for actions that obstruct the elections. It strongly condemned any form of election-related violence.
UNSMIL reiterated its calls for transparent, fair, and inclusive elections to be held on 24 December. This is in accordance with the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) roadmap, and the relevant Security Council resolutions.
On Thursday, the lawyer for Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, who is the son of Libya’s late leader, Muammer Gaddafi said that armed men had prevented him from lodging an appeal against his client’s disqualification from next month’s Presidential elections.
Disputes over issues including the eligibility of candidates are threatening to derail the elections, and with it a UN-backed peace process aimed at ending a decade of chaos since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled.
Interference by fighters from any side will further undermine confidence in the elections, which many Libyans are hoping with end a decade of conflicts. It has also triggered fears of a new war, if either side rejects the results of the vote.