UN Report Exposes Migrant Plight in Libya

A U.N. report reveals severe human rights abuses faced by migrants in Libya, including torture and rape. It urges a halt to the return of migrant boats until rights are safeguarded. The report highlights collusion between trafficking networks and Libyan authorities, affecting migrants seeking refuge in Europe.

Migrants in Libya face dire risks, including torture, rape, and domestic slavery, according to a recent U.N. report. The report calls for a temporary halt to returning migrant boats to Libya until adequate human rights are ensured. Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has become a pivotal transit route for those escaping conflict and poverty, aiming to reach Europe across the Mediterranean.

Over recent years, the EU and its member states have supported the Libyan coastguard in stopping migrant boats, resulting in many being returned to Libyan detention centers. The U.N. report, published Tuesday, highlights the involvement of criminal trafficking networks linked to Libyan authorities in these human rights abuses. Migrants are often forcibly separated from their families and detained without due process.

The report, based on interviews with nearly 100 affected individuals from Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, describes harrowing experiences, including systematic rape occurring in detention facilities. One Eritrean woman recounted her ordeal, comparing it to a "journey of hell." The report urges the international community to prioritize search and rescue operations for migrants at sea while ensuring that their return to Libya is halted until human rights are protected.

(With inputs from agencies.)