The European Union is accused of complicity in the repression of migrants via Libya.
Indirect responsibility for violations
Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:
Amnesty International accused the European Union of complicity in violations The situation of migrants and refugees in Libya is dire, following a large-scale security campaign launched by authorities in the east and west of the country in recent weeks.
In a statement released Tuesday, the organization said the campaign included mass arrests, arbitrary detention and forced deportations targeting hundreds of migrants, including those fleeing conflict in Sudan, without giving them the opportunity to seek asylum or appeal their deportation decisions.
Libya is a major transit point for migrants to Europe
Libya is a major transit point for migrants seeking to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea, especially since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, which has made it a major hotspot for irregular migration crises.
The organization pointed out that the European Union, which supports the Libyan coast guard financially and logistically, bears indirect responsibility for these violations, considering that this support has contributed to intercepting migrants and returning them to inhumane detention conditions.
Diana Elahwi, the organization’s deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said that “the EU’s funding of migration control efforts in Libya makes it complicit in horrific abuses,” warning that expanding cooperation to include armed groups in the east of the country, accused of committing violations, reflects a serious disregard for international law and human rights.
In contrast, there were no immediate responses from the European Commission or the Libyan authorities in Tripoli or the east, while European officials have previously defended this cooperation, stressing that it aims to reduce irregular migration and save lives at sea.
In this context, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in a letter to EU leaders last week, stressed the importance of continued European engagement in Libya, noting the increasing number of migrants crossing the Eastern Mediterranean route towards Greece.
The European Union supports strengthening border management capabilities.
She explained that the European Union provides financial and operational support to enhance border management capabilities, search and rescue operations, as well as combating smuggling networks and reducing the number of irregular migrants.
The European Commissioner for Migration had visited eastern Libya last summer to hold talks with the authorities there, but he was deported shortly after his arrival, in an indication of the complexity of the political and security landscape in the country.
These developments highlight the growing challenges facing Europe in managing migration, amid escalating criticism from human rights organizations regarding the impact of its policies on the situation of migrants in transit countries.
