UN urges Libya to shut migrant detention centres

Libya is facing renewed pressure to shut down detention centers where rights groups say migrants and refugees are being tortured, abused, and in some cases, killed.

At the UN countries including Britain, Spain, Norway, and Sierra Leone raised alarm over the treatment of migrants in Libya, a key transit point for Africans fleeing conflict and poverty toward Europe.

Some migrants have been held in warehouses by traffickers, subjected to violence and extortion. A Dutch court case has exposed grim details, while a UN agency says bodies found in mass graves bore gunshot wounds.

Norway’s ambassador urged Libya to end arbitrary detentions, and Britain called for UN investigators to have unrestricted access.

In an open letter, rights groups accused armed factions of operating with impunity, blocking justice and committing widespread abuses.

Libya’s acting foreign minister, Eltaher Salem Elbaour, acknowledged the country’s struggles but said Tripoli’s UN-backed government is working to ensure human rights are respected during a fragile transition.

He cited cooperation with the International Criminal Court and a new joint committee to oversee detention centers.

Libya’s human rights record is under review as part of a UN process that scrutinizes all 193 member states, a process the United States notably skipped last week.