Amnesty International – Militias in Libya Committing Human Rights Abuses
Amnesty International has released a new report stating that armed militias in Libya are not only obstructing efforts by the National Transitional Council to rebuild the country, but are also committing human rights abuses across the country.
The report was issued one year after the uprising in Libya started last February. The document by Amnesty International alleges serious abuses against people loyal to Gaddafi and his regime. There have been Gaddafi loyalists who have been imprisoned unlawfully, tortured, and sometimes killed.
The human rights group’s senior advisor, Donatella Rovera, said that Libya’s militias are out of control. One reason for this is because they seem to enjoy blanket immunity to such crimes. Rovera said this only brings more human rights abuses and instability in the country.
Rovera also said that the only way to stop the abuse that was so prevalent during Gaddafi’s rule is to make sure that no one stands above the law. Investigations into the abuse and the militias need to be carried out and people who are responsible for such need to be held accountable for their actions.
The report says that African refugees and migrants are also frequently targeted by the militias. There have been entire communities that have been forced to move. Amnesty International got the information for their report from a research mission into Libya. The researchers spoke with a wide range of people, including prison administrators, doctors, detainees, and the authorities in Libya.
While the militias are responsible for getting Gaddafi out of power and ultimately for his death, the interim government has a difficult task ahead. They must try to disarm the militias and many have said that they will not lay down their arms for the new government. Others continue to fight rival militias for control over certain regions of the country.
