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🛒 تسوق الآنLibya: Committee for Justice Documents Mass Arrests of Hundreds of Sudanese Refugees in Eastern Libya
Libya: Committee for Justice Documents Mass Arrests of Hundreds of Sudanese Refugees in Eastern Libya
Hundreds Detained in Sweeping Security Operation
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented a large-scale arrest campaign carried out by Libyan authorities in Tobruk and other areas across eastern Libya, resulting in the detention of hundreds of Sudanese refugees. The security operation targeted approximately 1,400 migrants in total, according to preliminary information. The campaign extended across Tobruk, Al-Butnan, and additional eastern areas, where refugees were detained and transferred to centers affiliated with the Anti-Illegal Migration Agency.
Escalating Anti-Migrant Sentiment and Hate Speech
The mass arrests come amid escalating incitement against foreigners in several Libyan regions. Anti-migrant protests swept multiple cities, with demonstrators demanding tougher measures. In Tripoli, protesters chanted "Libya is not a place for refugees" and "No to resettling migrants." In Misrata, protests escalated into violence, with crowds attacking a migrant-inhabited market and expelling residents. UNHCR estimates Libya hosts approximately 357,000 Sudanese refugees, concentrated in Kufra, Tripoli, and Benghazi, with smaller communities in Misrata, Zawiya, Derna, and Tobruk.
The Libyan Interior Ministry stated operations targeted "sites harboring irregular migrants" and resulted in hundreds of arrests, alongside legal measures against property owners who rented to them. Eyewitnesses in Sabratha reported police raided dozens of homes at dawn, arresting entire Sudanese families including children, and transferring them to detention centers described as "inhumane" by survivors.
Key Facts: What We Know
- Location: Tobruk, Al-Butnan, and other eastern Libyan areas, with additional operations in Sabratha and Tripoli.
- Scale: Approximately 1,400 migrants targeted, with hundreds of Sudanese refugees confirmed detained.
- Detention: Arrested refugees transferred to Anti-Illegal Migration Agency detention centers.
- Trigger: Crackdown coincided with anti-migrant demonstrations on September 26 across several cities.
- Broader Pattern: CFJ also documented torture and arbitrary detention in security facilities in Benghazi and Zliten.
Human Element: Families Torn Apart at Dawn
In Tripoli, the Department for Combating Illegal Immigration conducted night raids with Ghout al-Shaal police, arresting dozens of Sudanese refugees. Survivors said police blocked roads, stopped passersby, and forced families from rented homes for lacking valid residency permits. "These people fled war in Sudan only to face arrest and detention in Libya," said a CFJ spokesperson. "The international community cannot remain silent while refugees are targeted in mass operations that violate their fundamental rights."
Why This Matters for Libyans
The mass arrests raise serious questions about Libya's commitment to international humanitarian obligations. Libya is a signatory to the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention and has historically hosted large migrant populations. However, the current wave of anti-migrant sentiment threatens to undermine Libya's international standing. For ordinary Libyans, the normalization of hate speech and collective punishment based on nationality sets a dangerous precedent. Libyan civil society organizations, including CFJ, continue to play a critical role in documenting violations and holding authorities accountable.
International Response and the Path Forward
CFJ has called on Libyan authorities to uphold obligations under international humanitarian law, ensure refugees are not subjected to forced return, and guarantee legal protections and urgent humanitarian assistance. The organization also called for independent investigations into documented torture cases in Benghazi and Zliten. As Libya navigates its complex political landscape, the treatment of vulnerable refugee populations remains a critical test of the country's commitment to human rights and the rule of law.
— LibyaPress / Security Desk
