The political stalemate continues in Libya and prospects for elections are dim, the head of the UN Mission there, (UNSMIL), said in his first briefing to the Security Council.
Libya has been divided between two rival administrations for more than a decade, following the overthrow and killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The signing of a UN-brokered ceasefire in October 2020 paved the way for long-awaited elections in December 2021, which were postponed due to disagreement over the legal basis for the vote.
UN envoy Abdoulaye Bathily is holding consultations “to design a response to these daunting political challenges”, and significant differences remain on how Libyans want to overcome the crisis.
Turning to human rights, the envoy regretted that the situation in the country remains concerning. Violations against migrants and asylum seekers “continue with impunity” while “arbitrary detention continues as a common practice”, he said.
Furthermore, close to 6,000 people are in pre-trial detention, with 113 women and 135 juveniles among them. Overall, these numbers represent a 40 per cent increase since August Bathily said t.
