Trapped in a Nightmare in Libya

THE WEEK IN RIGHTS | JANUARY 24, 2019 Migrants, Asylum Seekers Face Abuse in Libya

Photo © 2018 John Holmes for Human Rights Watch A new report documents severe overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, malnutrition, and lack of adequate health care in detention centers where migrants and asylum seekers are being held in Libya. European Union leaders know how bad things are in Libya, but continue to provide support to prop up a rotten system, such as beefing up the Libyan Coast Guard, which intercepts boats in the Mediterranean and returns people to these abusive centers. Human Rights Watch also heard stories of abuse by guards at these centers. Abdul, an 18-year-old from Darfur, was intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard when he attempted to reach Europe to apply for asylum. While detained, he said guards beat him to make him confess to helping three men escape. His experience encapsulates the struggle, dashed hopes, and suffering of so many migrants and asylum seekers in Libya today. READ MORE »

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