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ليبيا- تعذيب

Recently released video footage has exposed harrowing scenes of torture perpetrated within "Qarnada" Prison, located in the city of Shahat in northeastern Libya, an area under the control of forces loyal to retired General Khalifa Haftar. 

Alkarama has called for an immediate and impartial investigation into these acts, deeming them egregious violations of the Convention Against Torture, ratified by Libya in May 1989. 

The leaked footage depicts acts of brutality against detainees, which activists assert date back to 2020 during the military offensive by Haftar’s forces against the capital, Tripoli. The victims are reported to be political opponents of Haftar. The videos reveal various methods of torture, including severe beatings with sticks, whips, and hands, likely resulting in significant injuries such as bruising, fractures, and other forms of physical trauma. 

According to former detainees of "Qarnada" Prison, inmates are subjected to electric shocks applied to multiple parts of their bodies. They are also repeatedly deprived of sleep for extended periods, as well as access to adequate food and clean drinking water, which has led to serious health deterioration. 

Libyan activists informed Alkarama that many of the perpetrators featured in the footage are identifiable individuals who remain at large. Despite calls from the internationally recognized government in Tripoli to open an investigation, the authorities in eastern Libya have failed to initiate any inquiries into the matter. 

Previous reports by United Nations mechanisms have documented acts of torture across Libya, including in "Qarnada" Prison. These reports also identified numerous detention facilities in eastern, western, and southern Libya—such as "Mitiga," "Al-Hadba," and "Sorman" prisons—where similar violations occur. "Qarnada" Prison is notably used to detain political opponents of Khalifa Haftar, who serves as the commander of the Libyan National Army. 

Alkarama underscores its commitment to monitoring the human rights situation in Libya and has submitted multiple complaints to United Nations special procedures on behalf of victims of such abuses. Alkarama has also drawn attention to crimes perpetrated by Haftar’s forces, often with the backing of certain Arab governments. 

In light of the prevailing circumstances, Alkarama urges Libya to accede to the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, which mandates the establishment of national preventive mechanisms to ensure accountability and effectively combat torture and related abuses.