Libyan watchdog calls for international investigation amid ongoing abuses

A Libyan human rights watchdog has reported a continuation of serious violations across the country during December 2025, allegedly committed by security forces and armed groups affiliated with rival authorities in both eastern and western Libya.

According to a statement by Libya Crimes Watch, the documented abuses included unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests and military operations carried out inside residential areas, amid what it described as a persistent lack of effective investigation and accountability mechanisms.

The organisation’s field monitoring recorded the deaths of two children and injuries to one civilian, as well as the death of a detainee at Ubari Prison due to the deterioration of his health condition. It also reported the discovery of two decomposed bodies of unidentified migrants on the coastlines of Tripoli and Al Bayda.

Libya Crimes Watch said it holds several parties legally responsible for the violations, including the 103rd Infantry Battalion affiliated with the Ministry of Defence under the Government of National Unity, the Judicial Police Authority, and local authorities in western coastal cities. The organisation accused these entities either of direct involvement or of failing to prevent abuses and protect civilians.

Key incidents documented

On 2 December, the body of an unidentified migrant was found on Souq Al Juma’a beach, west of Tripoli. Four days later, on 6 December, 14-year-old Aiham Al Tayeb was killed and his father seriously injured in the city of Zawiya after being struck by shell fragments during armed clashes.

On 17 December, another unidentified migrant’s body was discovered on Al Hamama beach, northwest of Al Bayda. Days later, on 23 December, three-year-old Moamen Al Nour was killed in the Khallet Al Furjan area south of Tripoli after anti-aircraft shells fell in the neighbourhood.

On 26 December, Ibrahim Al Mabrouk Hassan, 38, died inside Ubari Prison after contracting tuberculosis, with the organisation citing medical neglect as a contributing factor.

Calls for accountability

Libya Crimes Watch urged authorities in both eastern and western Libya to halt military operations near residential areas and civilian facilities. It also called on the Public Prosecutor to open independent and transparent investigations into incidents involving gunfire, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances.

The organisation further called for enhanced protection of migrants along migration routes, the activation of search and rescue mechanisms in cooperation with international organisations, and efforts to identify missing persons and human remains.

Libya Crimes Watch also stressed the need to reconsider the decision by the International Criminal Court to suspend investigations in Libya, proposing the establishment of an alternative international investigative mechanism to ensure accountability for serious violations.

It renewed its appeal to the UN Human Rights Council and UN member states to create an international investigative mechanism to replace the former Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, with a mandate to investigate grave human rights violations, identify those responsible and support accountability processes.

The organisation noted that the documented cases represent only a portion of the violations committed, adding that its reporting is based on a rigorous documentation methodology that prioritises victim confidentiality and risk assessment.