Human Rights Solidarity Organization Emergency Statement

On the Execution of Civilians by Haftar‑Affiliated Military Bodies

Ref: PRS 2026/08/1068

August 23, 2026

Human Rights Solidarity Organization Emergency Statement

On the Execution of Civilians by Haftar‑Affiliated Military Bodies

Human Rights Solidarity (LHRS) condemns in the strongest possible terms the execution of ten detainees carried out today by military bodies affiliated with General Khalifah Haftar in Benghazi and Gernada. Verified information from pro‑Haftar media outlets confirms that ten individuals; three civilians were executed at al‑Kuwayfiyah Prison in Benghazi, and six civilians at Gernada Prison, while the identity and location of the tenth victim remain unknown.

The victims executed in Benghazi were Qur’an teachers abducted in 2014 during the early days of “Operation Dignity”. The six victims executed in Gernada were residents of Derna who had fought against ISIS, contributed to the liberation of the city in 2016 from the terror group, and were widely recognized as civilians resisting extremist groups, not terrorists, as falsely claimed by Haftar‑aligned outlets.

These executions were carried out following secret, unlawful, and unconstitutional trials before Haftar’s so‑called “military court” in Benghazi, which lacks any legal standing under Libyan law. The trials were neither public nor impartial, and the defendants were denied the most basic guarantees of due process.

Unconstitutional and Illegal Military Trials of Civilians

The Libyan Supreme Court, in its landmark constitutional judgment No. 22/71 (2 November 2025), ruled unequivocally that:

“Trying civilians before military courts constitutes an unconstitutional exceptional jurisdiction.”

The Court further held that:

“Assigning the prosecution of terrorism crimes to military courts violates the right to the natural judge and the principle of equality before the law.”

The ruling declared Law No. 4/2017 unconstitutional, affirming that military courts have no authority whatsoever to try civilians, regardless of the nature of the alleged offense.

Therefore, the executions carried out today constitute:

• Extrajudicial killings
• Grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions
• War crimes, including the murder of civilians under Article 8 of the Rome Statute
• Serious violations of the right to life, fair trial guarantees, and judicial independence

Imminent Risk of Further Executions

LHRS has received credible warnings that ten additional detainees may be executed next Thursday, and that up to 90 civilians are slated for execution by Haftar‑affiliated military bodies. This represents an imminent and catastrophic threat to civilian life.

LHRS Calls for Immediate Action

To the Government of National Unity (GNU)

• Fulfill its constitutional and international obligations to protect all Libyan citizens, including those in areas controlled by Haftar’s forces.
• Assert the authority of the Presidential Council, the Supreme Commander of the Libyan Armed Forces under the 2021 Geneva Agreement, to halt all unlawful executions.
• Initiate urgent diplomatic and legal measures to prevent further killings.

To the Office of the General Attorney of Libya

• Prohibit the forced repatriation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to areas under Haftar’s control, where they face arbitrary detention, torture, and execution.
• Open criminal investigations into all individuals responsible for these unlawful executions.

To the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL)

• Issue an immediate and unequivocal condemnation of today’s executions.
• Demand a halt to all pending executions and the retrial of all civilians sentenced by military courts before regular civilian courts, with full guarantees of fair and impartial proceedings.

To UN Human Rights Special Procedures

• Release an urgent action condemning the executions.
• Call for a moratorium on all death sentences issued by military courts in Libya.
• Request access to detention facilities in Benghazi and Gernada.

To the International Criminal Court (ICC)

• Examine today’s executions as part of ongoing investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in eastern Libya.

To International and Regional Human Rights Organizations

• Document these executions and support efforts to protect civilians at imminent risk.

Conclusion

The executions carried out today are not judicial acts—they are state‑sanctioned murders committed by an armed group operating outside the framework of Libyan and international law. LHRS affirms that justice will not be achieved through secret trials, torture, and firing squads, but through the rule of law, independent courts, and respect for human dignity.

LHRS will continue to monitor the situation closely and issue further updates.

Human Rights Solidarity Organization

Tripoli, Libya
August 23, 2026