UN Human Rights Spokesperson Seif Magango on UN report urges accountability for violations in Tarhuna, Libya
/
2:46
/
MP4
/
404.5 MB
Transcripts
Download

Press Conferences | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Seif Magango on UN report urges accountability for violations in Tarhuna, Libya

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Seif Magango made the following comments at the bi-weekly briefing in Geneva: “A new report we are issuing jointly with the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) warns that the continued lack of accountability and years of impunity enjoyed by those behind the human rights violations and abuses committed in the Libyan city of Tarhuna between 2013 and 2022 risks fuelling more instability and division in the country.”

“The report details how the Al-Kaniyat, an armed element which emerged in 2011 and exercised brutal control over Tarhuna, a city of some 150,000 people 90 km southeast of Tripoli, carried out gross human rights violations and abuses including killings, disappearances, sexual violence, abductions, torture, ill-treatment and forced displacement between 2013 and 2022,” Magango said.

“It decries the failure to deliver justice which has in some instances led to renewed violence and repeated violations, fomenting further grievances in Tarhuna and surrounding areas Al-Kaniyat’s integration into the former Government of National Accord (GNA) and later the Libyan National Army (LNA), says the report, has been a significant barrier to accountability and justice,” he said.

“Commenting on the report, High Commissioner Volker Türk said: ‘Years have passed since these terrible violations were committed, but the perpetrators have still not been brought to justice, nor have truth, justice or reparations been delivered to victims and their families. The impunity must end – there must be accountability in accordance with international due process and fair trial standards,’” Magango said.

The report – which complements and builds on the 2022 findings of the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya – recommends a comprehensive transitional justice and reconciliation process, with meaningful truth-seeking measures and effective reparations for victims, including legal aid, mental health support and guarantees of non-repetition, designed in consultation with those directly affected. It also calls for robust accountability measures, through investigations and prosecutions of alleged perpetrators in line with international standards.

“The 2022 Fact-Finding Mission report detailed evidence of atrocities committed in Tarhuna, including through the discovery of mass graves containing hundreds of humans remains, most of them handcuffed, blindfolded and bearing signs of torture, and warned of the possibility that there could be up to 100 more such mass burial sites,” Magango said.

ENDS

Find the full report in English here.

Find the full report in Arabic here.

For more information and media requests, please contact:

In Geneva

Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or

Thameen Al-Kheetan - + 41 76 223 77 62 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org

Seif Magango - +254 788 343 897 / seif.magango@un.org

Tag and share

Twitter @UNHumanRights

Facebook unitednationshumanrights

Instagram @unitednationshumanrights

STORY: UN Human Rights Spokesperson Seif Magango on UN report urging accountability for violations in Tarhuna, Libya.

TRT: 02:45

SOURCE: UNTV/OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 30 August 2024 – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior shot : Palais des Nations
  2. Wide shot : briefing room
  3. SOUNDBITE (English)— Seif Magango, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): A new report we are issuing jointly with the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) warns that the continued lack of accountability and years of impunity enjoyed by those behind the human rights violations and abuses committed in the Libyan city of Tarhuna between 2013 and 2022 risk fuelling more instability and division in the country.
  4. Cutaway: Briefing room
  5. SOUNDBITE (English)— Seif Magango, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): The report details how the Al-Kaniyat, an armed element which emerged in 2011 and exercised brutal control over Tarhuna, a city of some 150,000 people 90 km southeast of Tripoli, carried out gross human rights violations and abuses including killings, disappearances, sexual violence, abductions, torture, ill-treatment and forced displacement between 2013 and 2022.
  6. Cutaway: Briefing room
  7. SOUNDBITE (English)— Seif Magango, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): It decries the failure to deliver justice which has in some instances led to renewed violence and repeated violations, fomenting further grievances in Tarhuna and surrounding areas Al-Kaniyat’s integration into the former Government of National Accord (GNA) and later the Libyan National Army (LNA), says the report, has been a significant barrier to accountability and justice.
  8. Cutaway: Briefing room
  9. SOUNDBITE (English)— Seif Magango, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): Commenting on the report, High Commissioner Volker Türk said: ‘Years have passed since these terrible violations were committed, but the perpetrators have still not been brought to justice, nor have truth, justice or reparations been delivered to victims and their families. The impunity must end – there must be accountability in accordance with international due process and fair trial standards.’
  10. Cutaway: Briefing room
  11. SOUNDBITE (English)— Seif Magango, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): The 2022 Fact-Finding Mission report detailed evidence of atrocities committed in Tarhuna, including through the discovery of mass graves containing hundreds of humans remains, most of them handcuffed, blindfolded and bearing signs of torture, and warned of the possibility that there could be up to 100 more such mass burial sites.
  12. Cutaway: Briefing room


Documents 1
Download Storyline
Download

Audio Files 1
Download UN Human Rights Spokesperson Seif Magango on UN report urges accountability for violations in Tarhuna, Libya
Download

Similar Stories

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 16 May 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | OCHA , WHO , OHCHR , UNCTAD

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 16 May 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Trade and Development, and the United Nations Refugee Agency. 

WHO Press conference: World Health Statistics 2025 - 15 May 2025

1

2

1

Press Conferences | WHO

WHO Press conference: World Health Statistics 2025 - 15 May 2025 ENG FRA

Launch of World Health Statistics 2025

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 13 May 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | ILO , OHCHR , WHO , UN WOMEN

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 13 May 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization, and UN Women.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 09 May 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNRWA , UNICEF , OCHA , WHO , ITU , WFP , UNHCR

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 09 May 2025 ENG FRA

Rolando Gómez of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Telecommunications Union.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 06 May 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNDP , UNHCR , WHO , UNECE , OCHA , WMO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 06 May 2025 ENG FRA

Rolando Gómez, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of

the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 02 May 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNDP , OCHA , UNHCR

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 02 May 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Refugee Agency.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 29 April 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | IFRC , UNHCR , UNRWA

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 29 April 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Press Conference: Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat - 25 April 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | BRS

Press Conference: Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat - 25 April 2025 ENG FRA

2025 BRS Conventions Conference of the Parties (COPs)

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 25 April 2025

1

1

2

Press Conferences | WFP , UNHCR , WHO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 25 April 2025 ENG FRA

Rolando Gómez, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section at the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the World Food Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Health Organization.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 22 April 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | WFP

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 22 April 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, attended by the representative of the World Food Programme (WFP).

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 15 April 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | IOM , OHCHR , UNDP , UNHCR , UNICEF , UNWOMEN

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 15 April 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Development Programme, UN Women, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the International Organization for Migration, and the United Nations Refugee Agency.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 11 April 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | OCHA , OHCHR , UN WOMEN , UNHCR , UNICEF , UNWOMEN , WFP , WHO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 11 April 2025 ENG FRA

Child rape in DRC hits historic levels amid funding crisis; Sudan conflict nears year three.