TRIPOLI, Libya: The United Nations mission in Libya on Saturday welcomed the establishment of the two committees by Libyan Presidential Council aimed at addressing safety and human rights concerns following recent deadly clashes in Tripoli.
UNSMIL said the committees were “composed of key parties”, with one aimed at “strengthening security arrangements to prevent the outbreak of fighting and ensure the protection of civilians”.
The second committee was tasked with “addressing human rights concerns in detention facilities, including widespread arbitrary detention,” it added.
Libya remains divided between two rival administrations: the UN-recognised government based in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and an opposing authority in the country’s east.
Since the 2011 uprising that overthrew and killed longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi, the North African nation has struggled with deep political and security fragmentation.
Last month, the capital Tripoli was shaken by several days of deadly clashes between rival armed groups, leaving at least eight people dead, according to the United Nations.
The violence was triggered by the killing of Abdelghani al-Kikli, leader of the Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA), at the hands of the government-aligned 444 Brigade, which subsequently clashed with another armed faction, Radaa.
It also came after Dbeibah announced a string of executive orders seeking to dismantle armed groups that he later said had “become stronger than the state”.
Earlier this week, the Libyan Presidential Council announced the formation of two new committees, a move Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah described as essential “to strengthen the rule of law.”
According to the council, the safety committee has been tasked with developing a plan to disarm non-state actors in Tripoli and enhance the authority of official security forces. Meanwhile, the human rights committee will focus on monitoring conditions in detention centers and reviewing the cases of individuals held without judicial oversight.
The decision follows warnings from UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk, who expressed serious concern over “gross human rights violations uncovered at both official and unofficial detention facilities” operated by the Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA).
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) stated it is “committed to providing technical support” to the newly established committees.
“UNSMIL stresses that these committees come at a crucial moment when Libyans are demanding meaningful reform, accountable and democratic state institutions,” it said.
