Statement by Human Rights Solidarity at the Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment

Madam President, the report of the Special Rapporteur on Torture stated that the Libyan government had sent a firm invitation to the Rapporteur to visit Libya, but he declined or postponed the visit. We hoped that the country visit had taken place, because torture and ill-treatment are perpetrated with complete impunity.

Torture is practiced by forces and agencies affiliated with the internationally recognized Government of National Accord based in western Libya, and by those of the parallel, unrecognized government based in eastern Libya. Torture is not limited to physical torture, we have documented cases of psychological torture, such as threats to rape spouses or children, or rape the detainee himself. We have documented numerous cases of the use of sexual rape in Gernada and al-Kuweifiya prisons in the East, and al-Jawiya and Mitiga prisons in the West.

The authorities in Tripoli and Benghazi are still recording interrogations with detainees and broadcasting[i] them on TV channels, which leads to reprisals against the detainees’ homes and their families.

Madam President, we call on your esteemed Council to demand from the Libyan authorities, represented in this Council by the Libyan mission in Geneva, to fulfil their obligations as a State party to the International Convention against Torture, and we call on the Special Rapporteur on Torture to accept the existing invitation and visit the prisons in Libya.