UN experts raise alarm over migrant abuse at Tunisia-Libya border
The experts said testimonies received describe migrants being detained arbitrarily before being transferred across the border under harsh conditions.
- Social/Gender
Devdiscourse News Desk
| Geneva
United Nations human rights experts have expressed deep concern over allegations that thousands of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers have been subjected to arbitrary detention, abuse, trafficking and collective expulsions at the Tunisia-Libya border since June 2023.
According to the experts, <a href="https://absafricatv.com/why-connecting-rural-congo-costs-three-times-more-than-it-should/” title=”Why Connecting Rural Congo Costs Three Times More Than It Should “>more than 7,400 people, most of them from sub-Saharan Africa, have reportedly been affected by a systematic pattern of abuse allegedly involving Tunisian security forces alongside Libyan state and non-state actors. The allegations remain under investigation, and the experts said they are in contact with both governments regarding the reported violations.
Reports describe detention, violence and abuse
The experts said testimonies received describe migrants being detained arbitrarily before being transferred across the border under harsh conditions. Reports allege that detainees were beaten, intimidated and subjected to degrading treatment while in custody.
According to the information gathered, migrants were repeatedly searched, stripped of personal belongings such as phones and identity documents, and denied adequate food and medical care. Women reportedly faced sexual violence, while men were said to have suffered severe physical assaults.
The experts also raised concerns over allegations that torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in detention have resulted in deaths and enforced disappearances. They noted reports suggesting that mass graves may exist near military installations in Libya, though these claims require independent investigation.
Allegations of organised trafficking
UN experts said the information received points to an organised system in which migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are allegedly treated as commodities and trafficked across the Tunisia-Libya border in exchange for money, fuel, drugs or other forms of payment.
The reported victims include men, women, pregnant women, families and unaccompanied children. According to the allegations, many are transferred for forced labour, sexual exploitation, sexual slavery or ransom, with payments reportedly varying depending on the perceived value of each individual. Those unable to secure payment are said to face continued exploitation.
The experts also stated that victims in Libya are allegedly moved between detention centres and private locations before being repeatedly sold or transferred for further exploitation, describing the reported pattern as widespread and systematic.
Call for independent investigations
The UN experts urged the governments of Tunisia and Libya to conduct prompt, independent and impartial investigations into the allegations and ensure accountability for anyone found responsible. They also called for victims to receive access to justice, protection and effective remedies, stressing that the reported abuses, if confirmed, would represent serious violations of international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, as well as international criminal law. The experts said they remain engaged with both governments as they continue examining the allegations.
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Human TraffickingUN Human RightsUnited NationsArbitrary DetentionAfricaRefugee ProtectionRefugeesAsylum SeekersMigrantsInternational LawLibyaTunisiaHuman RightsForced LabourSexual Exploitation
