HRW reports on Libya

Human Rights Watch’s Statement to the IOM Council 27-30 November 2007 (94th Session)
Human Rights Watch delivered a statement at the 2007 Council meeting (94th Session) of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its Member States expressing its continued committment to working with the Council and IOM to ensure that migrants’ rights are protected and promoted in all IOM operations.
November 29, 2007

Managing Migration Means Potential EU Complicity in Neighboring States’ Abuse of Migrants and Refugees
European Union efforts to shift responsibility for migration to countries beyond EU borders threaten the human rights of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Current EU migration polices are largely focused on keeping migrants and asylum seekers outside EU borders. However, these policies have failed to ensure that the rights of migrants and asylum seekers are respected, particularly in neighboring transit countries to the east or across the Mediterranean. This paper concentrates on the less well-known “external” dimension of the EU’s efforts, which rely on a mixture of assistance and pressure in order to shift responsibility for refugees, migrants, and asylum-seekers to transit countries, such as Ukraine or Libya, and regions of origin.
October 17, 2006

Libya : Migrants Abused, But Europe Turns Blind Eye EU Countries Must Press Libya to Protect Migrants, Asylum Seekers, Refugees The Libyan government subjects migrants, asylum seekers and refugees to serious human rights abuses, including beatings, arbitrary arrests and forced return, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
September 13, 2006

Stemming the Flow - Abuses Against Migrants, Asylum Seekers and Refugees
This 135-page report documents how Libyan authorities have arbitrarily arrested undocumented foreigners, mistreated them in detention, and forcibly returned them to countries where they could face persecution or torture, such as Eritrea and Somalia. From 2003 to 2005, the government repatriated roughly 145,000 foreigners, according to official Libyan figures.
From 2003 to 2005, the government repatriated roughly 145,000 foreigners, according to official Libyan figures.
HRW Index No. : E1805, September 13, 2006, also available in Arabic

see also on HRW Libya page : « Libya : A Threat to Society ? Arbitrary Detention of Women and Girls for “Social Rehabilitation” » « Libya : Women, Girls Locked Up Indefinitely Without Charge ‘Protective’ Facilities Serve as Places of Arbitrary Punishment », etc.