UN Rights report say migrants ‘unimaginable horrors’ in Libya

Migrants through Libya

UN Rights report say migrants ‘unimaginable horrors’ in Libya

First-hand report by United Nations rights officers has confirmed that migrants and refugees are subjected to “unimaginable horrors” from the moment they enter Libya.

The report says they are tortured, raped and killed in detention.

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The BBC says the report contains 1300 first-hand accounts gathered by UN human rights officers in Libya as well as countries of origin such as Nigeria, and destination countries like Italy.

“In each of the 11 detention centres visited by UN human rights officers, an overwhelming majority of women and teenage girls said they had been gang-raped by people smugglers.

The climate of lawlessness in Libya is fertile ground for illegal trafficking, the UN says, but the report also criticises Europe’s policy of preventing migrants crossing the Mediterranean. It says that the push back simply returns migrants to the same horrific conditions in Libya, leaving thousands of desperate people trapped there”, said the report.