The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) and the Libyan Anti-Torture Network (LAN) have denounced the systematic and widespread torture documented at Garnada prison in eastern Libya. saying that despite years of calls for accountability for military and security forces implicated in severe human rights violations, the abuses persist, prompting urgent demands for action.
Shocking Evidence of Torture
Recently surfaced videos, allegedly filmed in 2020, reveal harrowing scenes of detainees in Garnada Prison being brutally beaten with iron rods, forced into painful positions, and humiliated by individuals in military uniforms linked to “the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF)” (Khalifa Haftar’s forces).
“Former detainees’ testimonies corroborate these accounts, identifying the prison, perpetrators, and detailing additional abuses, including sexual violence by foreign nationals acting under LAAF officers’ orders.” OMCT and LAN said.
Beyond physical violence, detainees endured food and water deprivation, extreme overcrowding, solitary confinement, and forced labor. Medical reports from survivors detail fractures and severe injuries caused by methods such as suspension by the wrists and flogging.
Legal and Humanitarian Violations
OMCT and LAN have condemned these acts as gross violations of international humanitarian law, human rights law, and Libyan law. The scale and severity of the documented abuses demand immediate investigation and accountability, they said.
Call for Justice and Accountability
The OMCT and LAN have urged Libyan judicial authorities, the military prosecutor’s office, and the Attorney General to take swift action to investigate the atrocities in Garnada Prison. They emphasized the need for Haftar’s forces and their senior commanders to be held accountable for these crimes.
“This is a critical moment for Libya to prioritize transitional justice and accountability,” the organizations stated, calling for prosecutions of perpetrators and comprehensive support for survivors, including rehabilitation, reparations, and compensation.
The groups have underscored that addressing these violations is essential for Libya’s progress toward justice and respect for human rights.