Ahmed Hamza, head of the National Institution for Human Rights, has warned of escalating violations suffered by migrants inside detention centres in Libya. He stressed that the agreements with the European Union have essentially transformed Libya into a “guard” protecting the southern coasts of the European continent.
In press statements, Hamza explained that migrant detention centres recorded serious abuses, amounting to human trafficking in the Bir al-Ghanam and Al-Assah centres. He disclosed financial details of these practices, noting that migrants are forced to pay up to 3,000 Libyan dinars (LD) to retrieve their passports, while the cost of release ranges between LD 5,000 and LD 20,000, depending on the migrant’s nationality.
Hamza also criticised the inhumane conditions inside some centres, describing them as “mere metal containers” where hundreds of migrants are crammed. He asserted that the current security-focused approach has not proven effective in combating irregular migration, indicating that the genuine solution must start from the south by securing borders, rather than merely focusing on the coasts.
The head of the National Institution for Human Rights called for the adoption of an integrated vision for the migration file, demanding close cooperation among all state institutions. He sharply criticised the lack of coordination, which has resulted in human rights organisations being treated “as an enemy instead of a partner.”
Hamza concluded by affirming that confronting any potential scheme to settle migrants in Libya should not involve inciting violence and hatred against them, but rather by finding fair and balanced solutions that take legal and humanitarian aspects into account.
