{"id":8990,"date":"2026-06-29T17:14:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T15:14:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/?p=8990"},"modified":"2026-06-29T17:14:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T15:14:20","slug":"thirty-years-after-the-abu-salim-prison-massacre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/en\/thirty-years-after-the-abu-salim-prison-massacre\/","title":{"rendered":"Thirty years after the Abu Salim Prison Massacre"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>Ref: PRS 2026\/06\/1058<\/td><td>June 29, 2026<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Thirty years after the Abu Salim Prison Massacre<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Truth is Known, Justice is Absent, and Impunity has reached its Peak<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, Monday&nbsp;<strong>29 June 2026<\/strong>, marks the&nbsp;<strong>30th anniversary<\/strong>&nbsp;of the Abu Salim Prison massacre,&nbsp; the cold\u2011blooded execution of nearly&nbsp;<strong>1,200 unarmed detainees<\/strong>&nbsp;inside a state\u2011run prison, in one of the worst mass killings in Libya\u2019s modern history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thirty years have passed, yet justice has not been delivered, truth has not been honored, and the families of the victims still do not know&nbsp;<strong>where the remains of their loved ones lie<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A Fully Documented Crime, beyond Doubt or Interpretation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the past decade, LHRS has documented, through survivor testimonies, official security archives, and sworn statements by senior Gaddafi officials, that the massacre was a&nbsp;<strong>deliberate, planned mass killing<\/strong>, conceived and executed by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Abdullah al\u2011Senussi<\/strong>, head of Military Intelligence,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Senior security and military leaders, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>With direct knowledge and approval from\u00a0<strong>Muammar Gaddafi.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ahmed Ramadan, Gaddafi\u2019s chief of staff, provided sworn testimony confirming that&nbsp;<strong>al\u2011Senussi was the architect of the massacre<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The indictment issued by the Office of the Public Prosecutor includes more than&nbsp;<strong>100 eyewitness testimonies<\/strong>&nbsp;detailing the roles of the defendants and the method of execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Libyan Judiciary: Three Decades of Failure, and a Decade of Deliberate Obstruction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since 2011, LHRS has monitored the case before the Libyan courts. Across its annual statements (2016\u20132025), LHRS documented a persistent pattern of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Repeated delays,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unexplained recusals,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Release of defendants without justification,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attempts to dismiss the case,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Failure to enforce arrest warrants,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Absence of key defendants,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lack of transparency, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lack of judicial will.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2026, this failure reached its peak when the&nbsp;<strong>Tripoli Court of Appeals, Thirteenth Criminal Chamber<\/strong>&nbsp;issued a ruling&nbsp;<strong>acquitting Abdullah al\u2011Senussi and 31 senior regime officials<\/strong>&nbsp;of war crimes and crimes against humanity,&nbsp;<strong>without any legal reasoning<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This ruling is not merely a judicial error. It is a&nbsp;<strong>grave betrayal of justice<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Tripoli Court of Appeals Has Lost Its Impartiality<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After 30 years of waiting, and more than&nbsp;<strong>13 years<\/strong>&nbsp;of litigation, it is now clear that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Tripoli Court of Appeals\u00a0<strong>cannot<\/strong>\u00a0adjudicate the case,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Tripoli Court of Appeals\u00a0<strong>will not<\/strong>\u00a0adjudicate the case,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Tripoli Court of Appeals has shown\u00a0<strong>bias, and<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Tripoli Court of Appeals has\u00a0<strong>obstructed justice.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The repeated attempts to dismiss the case, the release of defendants, the disregard for Supreme Court rulings, and the refusal to enforce arrest warrants demonstrate that the court is&nbsp;<strong>no longer a neutral judicial body<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Supreme Court Is Now the Only Institution Capable of Delivering Justice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under&nbsp;<strong>Article (25)<\/strong>&nbsp;of Law No.&nbsp;<strong>6<\/strong>&nbsp;of 1982 \u201con reorganizing the Supreme Court\u201d:&nbsp;<strong>The Supreme Court may rule directly on the merits of a case if it overturns the appealed judgment and the matter is ready for adjudication.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Given that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Supreme Court has already ruled that the massacre is a\u00a0<strong>crime against humanity,<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The evidence is complete,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The defendants are known,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The testimonies are documented,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Court of Appeals has failed,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Court of Appeals has issued unlawful rulings, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Court of Appeals has lost impartiality.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LHRS calls on the Supreme Court to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Assume direct jurisdiction over the case,<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Overturn the acquittal of al\u2011Senussi and others,<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Issue immediate arrest warrants for all defendants,<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Halt any release or reconciliation measures involving the defendants,<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ensure public hearings and full transparency, and<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Protect the families of the victims from intimidation.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Reconciliation Cannot Come at the Expense of Justice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Any attempt to release the defendants under the pretext of \u201creconciliation,\u201d \u201chealth conditions,\u201d or \u201cpolitical necessity\u201d is an attempt to entrench impunity and undermine social peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">True reconciliation requires:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Truth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Accountability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reparations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Guarantees of non\u2011recurrence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It cannot be built on&nbsp;<strong>erasing crimes<\/strong>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<strong>absolving perpetrators<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A Message to the Families of the Victims<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To every mother who lost a son, To every father still waiting for answers, To every family that never received a body, To every child who grew up with an unanswered question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>We will not stop.<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>We will not be silent.<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>We will not compromise.<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>And we will not allow the truth to be buried with the victims.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>LHRS Demands on the 30th Anniversary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Direct intervention by the Supreme Court<\/strong>\u00a0under Article (25) of Law (6) of 1982,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Annulment of the acquittal<\/strong>\u00a0of al\u2011Senussi and senior regime officials, in criminal case No. (630_2014), the case of suppressing the February 17 Revolution,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Execution of arrest warrants<\/strong>\u00a0for all defendants,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disclosure of the fate and location of the victims\u2019 remains<\/strong>,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accountability for any judge or official<\/strong>\u00a0who obstructed the case,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Activation of transitional justice mechanisms<\/strong>\u00a0under Law No. 29 (2013),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use of universal jurisdiction<\/strong>\u00a0if justice continues to be obstructed in Libya,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Protection for the families of the victims<\/strong>, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recognition of 29 June as a national day of memory and justice<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thirty years have passed, but the crime has not expired, the right has not died, and justice has not been buried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Abu Salim Prison massacre is not merely a dark chapter in Libya\u2019s history, it is a&nbsp;<strong>continuing test of the state\u2019s conscience<\/strong>, and of its ability to confront the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LHRS, together with the families of the victims, remains steadfast:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>No reconciliation without justice.<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>No justice without accountability.<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>No accountability without an independent judiciary.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Human Rights Solidarity Organization<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Tripoli, Libya<\/strong><br><strong>June 29, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LHRS-PRS-2026-06-1058-EN_page-0001.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"8993\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LHRS-PRS-2026-06-1058-EN_page-0001-724x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8993 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 724px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 724\/1024;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LHRS-PRS-2026-06-1058-EN_page-0002.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"8994\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LHRS-PRS-2026-06-1058-EN_page-0002-724x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8994 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 724px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 724\/1024;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LHRS-PRS-2026-06-1058-EN_page-0003.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"8992\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LHRS-PRS-2026-06-1058-EN_page-0003-724x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8992 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 724px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 724\/1024;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LHRS-PRS-2026-06-1058-EN_page-0004.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"8991\" data-src=\"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LHRS-PRS-2026-06-1058-EN_page-0004-724x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8991 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 724px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 724\/1024;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ref: PRS 2026\/06\/1058June 29, 2026 Thirty years after the Abu Salim Prison Massacre The Truth is Known, Justice is Absent, and Impunity has reached its Peak Today, Monday&nbsp;29 June 2026, marks the&nbsp;30th anniversary&nbsp;of the Abu Salim Prison massacre,&nbsp; the cold\u2011blooded execution of nearly&nbsp;1,200 unarmed detainees&nbsp;inside a state\u2011run prison, in one of the worst mass killings &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,32,31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8990","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-library","category-press-release","category-reports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8990","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8990"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8990\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8995,"href":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8990\/revisions\/8995"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8990"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8990"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hrsly.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8990"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}