Human Lives Human Rights: A culture of impunity surrounding deaths in custody and severe human rights violations perpetrated by armed groups operating under the self-proclaimed Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) has allowed the Internal Security Agency (ISA) to escalate its crackdown on dissent in recent months. This repression primarily targets politicians, activists, poets, and bloggers who challenge the status quo.
Since January 2024, ISA agents have conducted numerous warrantless arrests, apprehending dozens of individuals without due process, including women and elderly men in their 70s, from their homes, streets, and public spaces in regions of eastern and southern Libya under LAAF jurisdiction. Many of those detained have been held in ISA-controlled facilities for months, without any contact with family or legal representation; a shocking number have endured enforced disappearances for periods extending up to 10 months. None of these detainees have been presented before civilian judicial authorities, nor have they been informed of any formal charges against them. Tragically, two individuals died under suspicious circumstances while in ISA custody in Benghazi and Ajdabiya in April and July, with no independent investigations into their deaths conducted, leaving accountability unaddressed.
The recent surge in arbitrary detentions and fatalities in custody starkly illustrates how the prevailing culture of impunity has emboldened armed groups to disregard the right to life of detainees without fearing repercussions. These deaths add to a mounting list of horrors inflicted by the ISA upon those who dare to voice critical opinions of the LAAF.
Both the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity and the LAAF, as the de facto authorities controlling eastern and southern Libya, bear the responsibility for ensuring the immediate release of all individuals arbitrarily detained solely for exercising freedom of expression. Moreover, the LAAF must suspend ISA commanders and personnel suspected of committing international crimes and serious human rights violations, pending thorough, independent investigations into the deaths in custody, and, where evidence is sufficient, ensure they are prosecuted in civilian courts under fair trial standards.
The case of Ahmed Abdel Moneim Al-Zawi exemplifies the tragic realities faced by detainees. On July 13, 2024, the 44-year-old died while held at an ISA facility in Ajdabiya. Ahmed was arrested on July 10 while visiting the detention facility to see his brother, Abdrabo Abdel Moneim Al-Zawi, who was detained due to his critiques of the ISA’s actions. In a disturbing claim, the ISA alleged that Ahmed committed suicide; however, witnesses reported seeing a bruise on the back of his head, suggesting foul play. Sheikh Al-Sanussi Al-Haliq Al-Zawi, Ahmed’s tribe leader, expressed profound grief, stating in a video, “Our son (Ahmed) entered on his two feet and was brought back to us as a corpse.” Just a day later, under apparent pressure, he made a statement praising the ISA and noting an investigation into his son’s death.
Compounding the issue, a prosecutor in Benghazi reportedly closed the case without any inquiry, while the forensic report failed to mention any head injuries. On April 19, 2024, another tragic victim, political analyst Siraj Dughman, also died in ISA custody. Despite international pressure, the LAAF has not initiated an investigation into his death, with ISA officials asserting that he fell during an escape attempt. The family was prohibited from viewing his body, and no autopsy report has been made publicly available.
Arbitrary arrests have also been implemented based on unfounded allegations. For instance, on October 1, 2023, Siraj Dughman was arrested along with two other political activists after an internal meeting concerning the collapse of the Derna dam. These individuals were accused of scheming to overthrow the LAAF. They, along with two additional activists arrested later that month, were released on August 25 after enduring over ten months of unlawful detention without trial or charges.
In another eye-opening case, activist and blogger Maryam Mansour Al-Warfalli, known as “Nakhla Fezzan,” faced ISA arrest on January 13, 2024, in Sabha after criticizing the LAAF’s handling of gas distribution in southern Libya. Denied family visits since her apprehension, she has faced ongoing medical issues. Additionally, ISA has detained Sheikh Ali Msbah Abusbeha, a prominent 77-year-old political figure, since April 19, without allowing him contact with his family or legal counsel.
The ISA’s aggressive tactics extend to enforced disappearances, such as the case of 78-year-old Sufi Sheikh Muftah Al-Amin Al-Biju, who has been missing since February 4 after being abducted by armed men from his home in Benghazi. This targeting appears motivated by his religious beliefs, as ISA has increasingly targeted those affiliated with Sufi Islam who do not conform to the Madkhali Salafi ideology. His family has been unable to obtain any confirmation of his treatment or whereabouts, leaving his health in jeopardy due to underlying medical conditions.
The ISA operates under LAAF’s de facto authority, led by Ousama Al-Dressi, and has fostered a climate of terror as part of its campaign to silence dissent. Libya’s parliament recently approved a budget allocating significant funds for the eastern-based “Libyan Government,” which is aligned with LAAF and has a track record of human rights abuses. Under international human rights law, LAAF and affiliated entities must be held accountable for their actions.
