The National Institution for Human Rights in Libya (NIHRL) has strongly condemned disturbing footage showing a young woman being interrogated in chains by a known militia leader, and placed full legal and moral responsibility on the country’s Ministry of Interior, headed by the outgoing Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba.
In an official statement, the NIHRL expressed “deep concern” over widely circulated images and videos showing the woman handcuffed and subjected to an inhumane interrogation. The man seen questioning her was identified as Ahmed Al-Dabbashi, also known as Al-Amo, a notorious militia leader operating in Libya’s western coastal region.
The NIHRL emphasized that Al-Dabbashi has been implicated in numerous serious human rights violations, including the abuse of migrants and Libyan citizens in trafficking hubs under his control in Sabratha. He is also accused of human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and other grave offenses.
The statement described the footage as “a blatant assault on human dignity” and a violation of national laws, constitutional norms, and international human rights principles. The NIHRL further warned that such acts undermine the rule of law and violate the constitutional principle of separation of powers.
The institution called on the Attorney General, the judiciary, and relevant security authorities to launch a full, transparent investigation into the abuses allegedly committed by Al-Dabbashi. It demanded swift legal action and the imposition of the harshest penalties available under Libyan law.
Crucially, the NIHRL held Libya’s Acting Interior Minister and Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba personally responsible for failing to stop these violations and for enabling a security environment in which militia crimes continue with impunity.
This case has reignited calls for disarming militias, re-establishing state authority in western Libya, and prosecuting warlords who continue to operate outside the legal system.
