UNSMIL has expressed deep concerns over the recent increase in abductions and enforced disappearances in towns and cities across Libya conducted by armed groups with total impunity.
UNSMIL said in a statement on Wednesday it had received reports of hundreds of enforced disappearances, torture, killings and displacement of entire families in Tarhouna city by the 9th Brigade, known as Al-Kaniyat - of a wide variety of persons, including private individuals, state officials, captured fighters and civil society activists.
The mission added that it had verified numerous summary executions at Tarhouna prison on September 13 by the 9th Brigade, documenting on June 12 2019, the 9th Brigade's abduction of the Mayor of Qasier Benghashir from his office, reportedly for refusing to handover his post to an individual nominated for the same position by the Brigade.
UNSMIL recalled that torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings are a violation of international law and may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, calling for the establishment of an investigative mechanism by the UN Human Rights Council, as the simplest and strongest basis for promoting accountability in Libya.
"UNSMIL will continue to monitor and document on human rights violations committed across Libya and report them to relevant international entities." The mission added.
