Women Prisoners at Mitiga Prison go on hunger strike to protest Indefinite Detention without Trial
HRS tried to contact the head of the Investigations Office in the Office of the General Attorney regarding the deplorable situation at Mitiga prison, but he did not respond
Human Rights Solidarity (HRS) expresses its concern about the fate of a group of women, detained in Mitiga prison in Tripoli after they went on an open hunger strike to protest against their continued detention for years without trial. HRS calls on the Office of General Attorney to immediately intervene to release them.
According to information obtained by HRS, the women prisoners, although no charges were proven against them, the prosecution did not intervene to release them. According to the same source, prison officials “blame the prosecution for not issuing release orders.”
Mitiga prison, at the Mitiga airbase Tripoli[1], was established and is controlled by the Special Deterrence Force (SDF), which is nominally affiliated with the Government of National Accord (GNA)[2], but in reality, it is an armed militia that has its own leadership and its chain of command[3]. The number of prisoners at Mitiga Prison is unknown, but according to the most recent report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)[4], the number of detainees at Mitiga prison, controlled by the SDF, is estimated at about 3,600 detainees, including women and children. No one knows the exact number of detainees at Mitiga airbase or their places of detention, the GNA’s Presidential Council admitted that it has no idea how many detainees at Mitiga[5], and no independent national or international body was allowed to visit the prison, and that includes the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
Mitiga prison, where there are a large number of women prisoners, does not have female guards, and a previous report issued by UNSMIL and OHCHR indicated that women were subjected to harassment and sexual assault, according to the testimonies of women who were detained in Mitiga prison and then released.
Mr. Ahmed Mahmoud, a human rights researcher at HRS organization, stated that “despite all the reports issued by the OHCHR[6] and international non-governmental organizations[7] that documented some violations in the prison and demanded the Libyan authorities to intervene and correct the situation, we did not see any initiative from the Government of National Accord or from The Municipal Council of Souq al-Jumaa municipality”, and added “the violations committed in Mitiga prison are no less than those committed by the previous regime’s security apparatus in Abu Salim prison. The Presidential Council, the Ministries of Interior and Justice[8], and the Office of the Attorney General must be aware that they bear full responsibility for the violations committed by the SDF militia at Mitiga prison. They must intervene urgently to correct the situation”.
HRS tried to contact the head of the Investigations Office in the Office of the General Attorney regarding the deplorable situation at Mitiga prison, but he did not respond
[1] Human Rights Solidarity: “HRS calls on GNA to define its position on the violations of Mitiga prison”, August 12, 2020.
[2] Originally, the Special Deterrence Force is affiliated with the Ministry of Interior of the Government of National Accord, but last November, a copy of Decree No. 578 of 2020 issued by the Chairman of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord on September 1, 2020, to transfer Special Deterrence Force from the Ministry of Interior to the President Presidential Council. The Government of National Accord did not publish a copy of the said decision, neither on its accounts on social networks (Facebook) and (Twitter), nor on the official website of the government and therefore it is not clear whether or not the said decree is genuine.
[3] The prison is controlled by a local militia from the Souq al-Jumaa area, which is called the “Special Deterrence Force” (SDF). The commander of the Deterrence Force is Abd al-Munem Kara, a resident of the Souk al-Jumaa area. Most of the force’s members are followers of an extremist religious group. They call themselves “Salafist”, but many in Libya and in the region call them Madakhila because they are followers of a Saudi Cleric, Sheikh Rabia al-Madkhali of Jeddah.
[4] Human Rights Council, 43rd Regular Session, Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Situation of human rights in Libya, and the effectiveness of technical assistance and capacity-building measures received by the Government of Libya”, January 23, 2020.
[5] Media Office of the Chairman of the GNA’s Presidential Council: “Government of National Accord Presidential Council Decree number (1307) of 2018 “Regarding some Provisions of Decree No. (1301) of 2018””, September 17, 2018. Article (2): “The committee formed by Article No. (1) of this Decree shall investigate the situation of detainees in the main Tripoli correction and rehabilitation institution at Mitiga airbase and any other place of detention that may be there and verify the procedures for their arrest and imprisonment and the extent of their compliance with the criminal legislation in force”.
[6] OHCHR “Abuse Behind Bars: Arbitrary and unlawful detention in Libya”, April 10, 2018.
[7] Amnesty International “Libya: Decree Integrating Radaa Forces into a New Security Apparatus Overlooks need for Accountability”, June 21, 2018. Amnesty International: “No authority is above Radaa’s [SDF] authority”, July 17, 2020.
[8] Mitiga prison, which the Ministry of Justice calls “the Main Tripoli Correction and Rehabilitation Institution” nominally belongs to the Ministry of Justice, but it is effectively controlled by the Special Deterrence Force and is not subject to the supervision of the Judicial Police as stipulated by law.
