Libya: Enforced disappearance of Faraj Abdullah Al Daguel before UN Working Group

On 20 July 2023, Alkarama sent an urgent appeal to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances regarding the case of Faraj Abdullah Al Daguel, who has disappeared since his arrest by a group of soldiers on 1 November 2022 in Sabha (south-west, Libya). 

Disappearance following arrest 

According to several witnesses, Al Daguel was arrested at eight o'clock in the morning, while he was at the checkpoint called "Al Salita Gate" located on the road to Sabha, by a group of soldiers acting under the control of the so-called "Muhammad Boumarfoua" affiliated with the Tariq bin Ziyad brigade, led by Saddam Haftar, the son of General Khalifa Haftar. 

Although no warrant was presented to him and without even being informed of the reasons for his arrest, Al Daguel was forcibly taken to an unknown destination. 

Fearing reprisals from the Tariq bin Ziyad Brigade, which is extending its control over the area, Al Daguel's family has been unable to file a complaint about his disappearance. 

Human rights violations and United Nations concerns 

Mandated by the family, Alkarama therefore urgently approached the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances to help his family shed light on his fate and whereabouts. 

While thousands of Libyan families are still waiting for answers from the authorities, Alkarama continues to document human rights violations through the various UN mechanisms as well as the UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya (UNSMIL). 

Recently, UNSMIL expressed deep concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in the country, concluding that there was reason to believe that the state, security forces and armed militias have committed a wide range of crimes against humanity and war crimes. 

With regard to cases of arbitrary detention, UNSMIL had indicated that, contrary to the Government's assertions, the evidence gathered suggested that the actual number of persons arbitrarily detained was well over 18,523. 

In recent years, Alkarama has continued to submit cases of arbitrary deprivation of liberty,  including through the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. While  some of the detainees were released following the opinions of UN experts, others remain  in  detention in total violation of international law.