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🛒 تسوق الآنUN Experts Raise Alarm Over Migrant Abuse at Tunisia-Libya Border
UN Experts Raise Alarm Over Migrant Abuse at Tunisia-Libya Border
Over 7,400 Migrants Affected in Systematic Abuse Pattern Since June 2023
United Nations human rights experts have expressed deep concern over allegations that more than 7,400 migrants, refugees and asylum seekers have been subjected to arbitrary detention, abuse, trafficking and collective expulsions at the Tunisia-Libya border since June 2023. The experts, a group of 14 independent mandate holders, detailed their findings in a joint statement on Thursday, calling for urgent action from both governments.
According to the experts, the victims—primarily from sub-Saharan Africa—have endured a systematic pattern of violations allegedly involving Tunisian security forces alongside Libyan state and non-state actors. The experts stated they remain in contact with both governments regarding the reported violations, seeking access to investigate the claims and provide protection to survivors.
Reports Detail Detention, Violence and Systematic Abuse
Testimonies received by UN experts describe migrants being detained arbitrarily before being transferred across the border under harsh conditions. Reports allege that detainees were beaten, intimidated and subjected to degrading treatment while in custody. Survivors have come forward describing being stripped of their documents and belongings during these transfers.
The experts documented that migrants were repeatedly searched, stripped of personal belongings such as phones and identity documents, and denied adequate food and medical care. Women reportedly faced sexual violence, while men were said to have suffered severe physical assaults. Medical personnel familiar with the situation have confirmed patterns of inadequate healthcare provision for detained migrants.
Torture Allegations and Potential Mass Graves
The UN experts raised further concerns over allegations that torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in detention have resulted in deaths and enforced disappearances. They noted reports suggesting that mass graves may exist near military installations in Libya, though these claims require independent investigation by impartial international observers.
The experts emphasized that if confirmed, such findings would constitute serious violations of international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, as well as potential international criminal law offenses. They specifically cited the Rome Statute as potentially applicable to the documented patterns of abuse.
Migrants Treated as Commodities in Organized Trafficking
UN experts said the information received points to an organised system in which migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are allegedly treated as commodities and trafficked across the Tunisia-Libya border in exchange for money, fuel, drugs or other forms of payment. This commodification appears to have created a market where human lives are valued primarily for their economic potential.
The reported victims include men, women, pregnant women, families and unaccompanied children. According to the allegations, many are transferred for forced labour, sexual exploitation, sexual slavery or ransom, with payments reportedly varying depending on the perceived value of each individual based on age, gender and other factors.
Those unable to secure payment are said to face continued exploitation. The experts also stated that victims in Libya are allegedly moved between detention centres and private locations before being repeatedly sold or transferred for further exploitation, describing the reported pattern as widespread and systematic across multiple regions.
Call for Independent Investigations and Accountability
The UN experts urged the governments of Tunisia and Libya to conduct prompt, independent and impartial investigations into the allegations and ensure accountability for anyone found responsible. They also called for victims to receive access to justice, protection and effective remedies.
The experts stressed that the reported abuses, if confirmed, would represent serious violations of international law. They noted they remain engaged with both governments as they continue examining the allegations, demanding transparency and action to protect vulnerable migrants from further harm. The experts specifically urged the establishment of monitoring mechanisms to track the treatment of migrants at border facilities.
— Libya Press / Security Desk
