Amnesty International has condemned the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) for endorsing actions by the Internal Security Agency (ISA) that have allegedly led to substantial human rights abuses. According to Amnesty International, the crackdown authorized by the LAAF includes arbitrary arrests, disappearances, and physical violence against political rivals and activists, resulting in at least two suspicious deaths in detention centers. Ahmed Abdel Moneim Al-Zawi died in July 2024, showing signs of physical violence, while Siraj Dughman died in April 2024 under questionable circumstances following an alleged escape attempt. There have been no investigations into these deaths.
Amnesty International’s Libya Researcher, Bassam Al Kantar, emphasized that the arbitrary detentions and deaths highlight severe violations of detainees’ right to life and called for the immediate release of those held solely for exercising freedom of expression. The ISA, led by Ousama Al-Dressi, operates under the LAAF, commanded by Khalifa Haftar, and is notorious for historical human rights violations.
The LAAF, controlling vast regions of eastern and southern Libya, has intensified its power through external military support from countries like the UAE, Egypt, Russia, and France. Amnesty International’s 2023 report detailed ongoing abuses including unlawful detentions, violence against women and LGBT+ individuals, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and suppression of free expression. Such actions contravene international human rights laws and multiple articles of the Libyan Code of Criminal Procedure.
For more information, read Amnesty International’s full report on the Libyan situation here.