Dr. Benzeer: Denying civilians water supplies is violation of IHL and human rights declaration
The Secretary General-designate of the Arab-European Center for Human Rights and International Law, Dr. Ramadan Benzeer, told Libyan Express on Monday that cutting water supplies to civilians in Tripoli and central region is a blatant violation of the human rights declaration and the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
Dr. Benzeer added that the IHL and all the international laws as well as conventions, protocols and treaties say that civilians must be protected during wars.
He explained that denying civilians water or medicine is a clear war crime that is punishable by international and national laws.
Dr. Benzeer indicated that the Head of the UNSMIL Ghassan Salame is legally and morally responsible for taking the necessary measures to avoid civilians in Tripoli and the central region a looming humanitarian crisis.
An armed group loyal to Khalifa Haftar in southern Libya blocked days ago water supplies at the Man-Made River in Hassawna project and that affected the capital and the surrounding cities, yet they reopened it after mediation in less than 48 hours.
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