from AHMED ZAYED in Tripoli, Libya
Libya Bureau
TRIPOLI, (CAJ News) – LIBYAN authorities are accused of accelerating the abuse of activists and members of non-governmental organizations, which risks completely closing the space for free assembly and association.
Allegedly backed by unaccountable militias and abusive internal security apparatuses, the state has used overbroad and draconian legacy laws that allegedly violate international law to frequently threaten, harass, arbitrarily detain, and attack civil society members and activists.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has therefore urged authorities to cease targeting civic groups and urgently adopt a civil society law consistent with international law.
“Libyan authorities need to urgently end their repressive policies, which are crushing civic space in the country and have made it near-impossible for organizations to carry out their vital work,” said Hanan Salah, associate Middle East and North Africa director at HRW.
“Human rights groups and other civil society organizations should be able to operate without constantly having to look over their shoulder for fear of retaliation.”
HRW has written to the Justice and Foreign Ministries in the capital, Tripoli, over the issues.
The North African country has been unstable since the overthrow and murder of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Rival authorities are vying for control in Libya.
These are the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU), appointed as an interim authority through a United Nations-led consensus process, and affiliated armed groups control western Libya.
Their rivals, the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) and affiliated security apparatuses and militias, control eastern and southern Libya.
A civilian LAAF-affiliated administration is known as the “Libyan Government.”
– CAJ News