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Protests have broken out across Libya in recent days; the House of Representatives in the eastern city of Tobruk was set on fire and hundreds of protesters in the capital, Tripoli, have been descending on the city centre to denounce armed militias and increasing prices of basic goods.

The protests have come as Libyas numerous political factions remained at odds over a constitutional framework and roadmap to elections, as United Nations-backed negotiations in Cairo and Geneva between representatives from Tripolis High Council of State and Tobruks House of Representatives have been unable to come to an agreement.

The uncertainty has been exacerbated by a continuing oil blockade initiated by factions seeking to topple the internationally recognised government in Tripoli and install a rival government led by former-Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, based in Sirte, instead.

There are many reasons why protesters have decided to take to the streets in anger. But they can be summarised simply by the failure of the politicians to reach a political accord and their preference instead to wrestle with each other over power at the expense of ordinary citizens, Libyan academic and writer Ahmed Mayouf told Al Jazeera.

This failure has naturally resulted in the deterioration of living conditions across the board, affecting even those citizens who have little interest in the politics.

Libyan journalist Mustafa Fetouri agreed, insisting that the protests are against the current status quo in its entirety, and that includes both governments; [interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid] Dbeibahs in Tripoli and Bashaghas in Sirte.

Fetouri told Al Jazeera that the main reason for the protests is the deterioration of living conditions in Libya, and in particular the constant power cuts, lack of employment opportunities, and the absence of any agreement on elections.

However, Tripoli-based Libyan academic Yusuf Bakhbakhi suggested that the reasons for the protests differed depending on the area in which they are taking place.

There is a sense of frustration and increasing complaints over issues related to unemployment in Tripoli which has fuelled protests [there] against Dbeibahs government, he said.

In Tobruk, the reasons are more political and have more to do with the presence of mercenaries and the politics of the House of Representatives that have prevented the holding of elections.

Libya has been racked by instability and civil war since the toppling of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

In 2021, a UN-backed national dialogue led to the formation of a new government under Dbeibahs on the basis that elections would be held in December the same year. However, elections were delayed indefinitely, leading to a dispute about the legitimacy of Dbeibahs government.

In February 2022, the House of Representatives in Tobruk backed by strongman Khalifa Haftar, who laid siege to the capital Tripoli throughout 2019 before being driven back by Turkeys military intervention controversially appointed Bashagha as prime minister and tasked him to form a government.

Yet, Bashagha met stiff resistance from armed militias aligned with Dbeibah as he tried to enter Tripoli in Mayto install his government, leading him to subsequently announce that he would assume his duties from the city of Sirte.

Since then, supporters of Bashaghas government have partially shut down oil facilities in the east in a bid to pressure Dbeibahs government into stepping down. Bashagha told the Reuters news agency that the oil blockade would likely end if the central bank supplies the funds for the budget that parliament had approved [for his government].

The oil blockade has exacerbated the problem of power outages across Libya, which is one of the primary grievances of the protesters who have recently taken to the streets.

Tripoli-based Libyan academic Yusuf Bakhbakhi told Al Jazeera that power outages are lasting for hours during the day, and queues at petrol stations are very long. This is aside from the rising inflation and increasing prices.

Yet Bakhbakhi said the protests have yet to reach a level in which they might be able to force change.

The protests may escalate. This is certainly a possibility, he said.

However, it is still limited to some of the youth, and the burning of the House of Representatives building in Tobruk and the shutting off of roads by protesters and other destructive actions may have affected the decision of others to join these protests.

Bakhbakhi added, Libyans at the moment are still not at the point whereby they are ready to take to the streets in large numbers, despite the deteriorating living conditions.

Mayouf said the protests will likely continue to escalate.

As far as the protesters are concerned, there is no difference between Debeibas government or Bashaghas in terms of their contribution to the deterioration in living conditions. This is what makes it difficult for one side to use the protests against the other, he said.

Yet, it will not stop them trying to ride the wave and attempt to construct a narrative that suggests they stand with the protests against the other side.

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What is behind the protests rocking Libya? - Al Jazeera English

The African Union, AU, intends to hold an inclusive Libyan reconciliation conference whose agenda will be determined by the Libyans themselves under African auspices, Head of the AU Liaison Office in Libya (AUlol) Wahida Ayari has told Saudi media Asharq al-Awsat.

The conference will be a complementary path if the current path fails, the AU official said.

The African Union is focusing on national reconciliation and support for the existing political path adopted by the international community in Berlin 1, Ayari added.

The AU has been pressing for an African solution for the Libyan crisis. The organization wants the UN to appoint an African diplomat to mediate between Libyan rivals.

The oil-rich African country has slid into chaos since 2011 after the removal and assassination of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising.

Libya currently has two competing administrations backed by foreign countries vying for influence.

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African Union plans to organize inclusive conference for reconciliation in Libya The North Africa Post - The North Africa Post

The Italian Special Envoy to Libya, Nicola Orlando, said on Twitter that he had met with his German counterpart, Christian Buck, in Berlin on Tuesday.

According to Orlando, both Italy and Germany agree on the priority of restarting Libya's political process, elections, lifting oil blockade, and unified government to urgently provide basic services to Libyans.

The Italian Special Envoy indicated that Rome and Berlin will work with international partners to preserve Libya's sovereignty, stability and unity.

Orlando visited France last Monday to meet with French Special Envoy to Libya Paul Soler, with whom he discussed the urgency of preserving the Libyan political process.

Orlando said on Twitter that Italy and France share the goal of Libya's unity and stability, adding that they are committed to working together to help Libyans resolve the current impasse and go to elections.

France, Italy and Germany's Special Envoys all visited Libya throughout last June and met with Presidential Council, High Council of State, House of Representatives and Unity Government's top officials, urging them to support the UN-led political process and UN Advisor's efforts to find a common ground for a constitutional basis for elections.

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Italy, Germany agree on priorities for Libya - The Libya Observer

The Human Rights Council this morning held an interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic and began an interactive dialogue with the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya.

Yao Agbetse, Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic, said thatsince March, some positive developments had been recorded, including the new Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the Central African Republic taking office, as well as the adoption of the law on the abolition of the death penalty, among other initiatives. However, the human rights situation in the Central African Republic remained worrying. He invited the Council to consider adapting the resolution to be adopted in September during its fifty-first session to the evolution of the situation.

Arnaud Djoubaye Abazene, Minister of Justice and Human Rights of the Central African Republic, said the rule of law, good governance and combatting sexual and gender-based violence remained at the heart of the Governments priorities. Efforts had led to the law on military proclamation, increasing the number of soldiers and deploying the army to protect the territory of the Central African Republic. The extension of the States authority had facilitated investigations of violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law. The Central African Republic continued to work for peace and stability and to consolidate its progress, despite the lingering armed groups present in certain areas.

In the ensuing discussion on the Central African Republic, speakers thanked the Independent Expert for his work and congratulated the Reconciliation Commission for its work. The Banjari court investigations were encouraging signs in the fight against impunity and needed to be continued to restore confidence in the peacebuilding process. Some speakers welcomed the recent steps taken to abolish the death penalty, which was a vital step towards human rights for all, and encouraged the Government to finalise this process. Some speakers expressed concern at the persistent human rights violations, including gender-based and sexual violence committed by armed groups. They called on the Government of the Central African Republic to open an independent investigation into the allegations of violations of international humanitarian law.

The Council then started an interactive dialogue with the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya.

Mohamed Auajjar, Chair of the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya, said the investigation team had conducted four investigative missions to Libya throughout its mandate. Some of the violations identified included direct attacks on civilians during the conduct of hostilities; arbitrary detention; enforced disappearances: sexual and gender-based violence; torture; violations of fundamental freedoms; persecution of and violations against journalists, human rights defenders, civil society, minorities, and internally displaced persons; and violations of the rights of women and children. Now, more than ever, the Libyan people deserved a strong commitment, from within and also from the international community, to bring justice and a sustainable peace to their country.

Lamia Abusedra, Permanent Representative of Libya to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said the report highlighted the serious challenges facing Libya, including the political division, insecurity, the proliferation of weapons and the increasing phenomenon of irregular migration and external intervention. Libya would rely heavily on the final recommendations of the work of the Fact-finding Mission to draw up a clear road map to promote human rights and fight impunity, under Libyas national project of reconciliation and justice. Libya had decided to submit a draft resolution through the African Group to extend the Mission's mandate for an additional and final term, ending within nine months.

In the ensuing discussion, several speakers said the human rights situation in Libya remained deeply concerning. It was unacceptable that reports of torture, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and sexual and gender-based violence remained largely unaddressed. Several speakers called for the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission to be extended, saying the renewal of this important mandate enabled strengthened cooperation between the international community, the Fact-Finding Mission and Libyan institutions. It also provided the opportunity to strengthen capacity building and technical assistance to advance the protection of human rights and accountability processes across the country. The Mission should abide by its mandate and complete its work on schedule, whilst focusing on the needs of Libya, a speaker stressed.

Speaking in the interactive discussion on the Central African Republic were European Union, Senegal, France, United Nations Childrens Fund, Venezuela, Russian Federation, Sudan, Egypt, China, Portugal, Angola, Mali, United Kingdom, Ireland, Gabon, and United States.

Also speaking were the following non-governmental organizations: Ensemble contre la Peine de Mort, Penal Reform International, World Evangelical Alliance, Defence for Children International, Elizka Relief Foundation, and Rencontre Africaine pour la defense des droits de l'homme.

Speaking in the interactive discussion on Libya were Iceland (on behalf of a group of countries), European Union, Jordan (on behalf of the Group of Arab States), Saudi Arabia (on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council), Cte dIvoire (on behalf of the African Group), Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, United Nations Women, Sierra Leone, Spain, Senegal, Iraq, Morocco, Luxembourg, Venezuela, Bahrain, Sudan, Egypt, China, Algeria, Greece, Trkiye, Malta, Yemen, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States of America, Jordan, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Mauritania, South Sudan, Tunisia, Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Qatar and France.

The webcast of the Human Rights Council meetings can be found here. All meeting summaries can be found here. Documents and reports related to the Human Rights Councils fiftieth regular session can be found here.

The Council will next meet at 3 p.m. this afternoon to conclude the interactive dialogue with the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya, and hear an oral update by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights situation in Georgia.

Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in the Central African Republic

Presentation

YAO AGBETSE, Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic, highlighted the good cooperation of the Government of the Central African Republic with his mandate in facilitating his visit. Since March, some positive developments had been recorded, including the new Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the Central African Republic taking office, as well as the adoption of the law on the abolition of the death penalty, among other initiatives. However, the human rights situation in the Central African Republic remained worrying. In the first half of 2022, 436 incidents of human rights violations, abuses and breaches of international humanitarian law were documented.

The three main technical and financial partners of the Central African Republic - the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the European Union - based the non-disbursement of budget support on non-compliance with the agreed criteria, as well as the lack of transparency in security-related expenditures. Mr. Agbetse urgently appealed to the Council and the other organizations to find practical solutions as soon as possible with the Central African authorities, who needed to show committed leadership, including the rapid adoption of the anti-corruption law. After consultations with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Mr. Agbetse was concerned that if the current critical situation continued, the Central African Republic ran the risk of collapse, and the situation of instability would give new impetus to armed groups. He called on the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to integrate the human rights dimension into their macroeconomic analyses and to refrain from imposing the burden of financial and economic sanctions.

It was important that the Government followed up on the findings of the investigations conducted by its Special Commission of Inquiry, established in May 2021, into allegations of abuses by the Central African armed forces and their Russian allies. Mr. Agbetse said that the recovery of the Central African Republic would not happen without its youth, and it was urgent to prioritise education, especially technical, agricultural and vocational training. Mr. Agbetse said he was very concerned about hate speech, incitement to violence, disinformation and misinformation in the media and on social networks. He invited the Council to consider adapting the resolution to be adopted in September during its fifty-first session to the evolution of the situation. There was an urgent need to accelerate justice and security reforms, and to find ways to put an end to armed groups. He also noted the need to strengthen the capacities of Central African institutions, whose mandate was to fight impunity, promote the rule of law and good governance, and inspect cases of deprivation of liberty.

Statement by Country Concerned

ARNAUD DJOUBAYE ABAZENE, Minister of Justice and Human Rights of the Central African Republic, said the rule of law, good governance and combatting sexual and gender-based violence remained at the heart of the Governments priorities. Efforts had led to the law on military proclamation, increasing the number of soldiers and deploying the army to protect the territory of the Central African Republic. The reform of the security system had allowed this to guarantee peace, social cohesion and a harmonious life. The extension of the States authority had facilitated investigations of violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law. A Permanent dialogue must be at the heart of the political vision of the Head of State, who was working in harmony with the entirety of the international community.

The Government had undertaken actions to quieten the political climate and reduce tensions. The improvement of the social climate through permanent dialogue with social partners was visible. The extension of the National Plan for the Consolidation of Peace would run until 2023. The teams from the Government, with the support of the United Nations Multi-dimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic, had targeted combatants attached to political movements in two provinces, and continued to work with partners in these provinces. The fight against impunity was the backbone of the Governments actions. The African Union was contributing to capacity building through providing training.

The Central African Republic had a national action plan to combat trafficking in children, aiming to prevent the recruitment of children into the armed conflict. The law on the abolition of the death penalty had been adopted, as had been a national plan to reduce gender and domestic violence. There was a national mechanism for the prevention of torture. Awareness raising missions on issues of human rights had also been carried out, including among the Armed Forces, on such topics as child soldiers and the repression of sexual violence against women and children; the justice sector was receiving training in order to combat these phenomena. The Central African Republic continued to work for peace and stability and to consolidate its progress, despite the lingering armed groups present in certain areas. A holistic and global response was needed to consolidate the peace beyond question.

Discussion

Some speakers thanked the Independent Expert for his work and congratulated the Reconciliation Commission for its work. The Banjari court investigations were encouraging signs in the fight against impunity and needed to be continued to restore confidence in the peacebuilding process. The Central African Republic had cooperated with the Council and its mechanisms and had made significant progress in the promotion and protection of human rights. Some speakers commended the efforts deployed by the Government to build peace, while protecting the most vulnerable groups.

The Central African Republic had made significant progress in the areas of disarmament, and in the repatriation of refugees to the country, some speakers said. Authorities in the Central African Region were encouraged to implement the Rwanda Joint Roadmap for Peace, to lift the arms embargo, and to strengthen the judicial system. Some speakers welcomed the recent steps taken to abolish the death penalty, which was a vital step towards human rights for all, and encouraged the Government to finalise this process. The Office of the Hight Commissioner of Human Rights was urged to provide technical assistance and capacity building to enable the Central African Region to continue to ensure human rights for its population.

Some speakers said that the human rights challenges in the Central African Republic were engendered by many years of civil conflict in the country, which had prevented an economic take-off. They expressed concern at the persistent human rights violations, including gender-based and sexual violence committed by armed groups. The violations of childrens rights, including the recruitment of child soldiers, needed to cease immediately; 70 cases of child recruitment had been verified in the first quarter of this year alone.

Some speakers were concerned about the operation of armed groups in the country and the reports that these groups were targeting Muslim communities. The continued targeting of humanitarian personnel and the killing of civilians was unacceptable and needed to stop. Disinformation campaigns were of particular concern. Speakers called on the Government of the Central African Republic to open an independent investigation into the allegations of violations of international humanitarian law. This included allegations of abuses committed by the Central African Armed Forces and the private Russian mercenary group, Wagner, which was worsening the humanitarian situation and undermining the work of the United Nations.

Concluding Remarks

YAO AGBETSE, Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic, said he remained open for dialogue with all actors and partners. It was clear that there must be effective respect of the ceasefire by all sides, Government forces, allies, and armed groups, and for this, the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme must be respected by all sides. Some elements such as the Union for Peace in Central Africa were still carrying out attacks throughout the territory, preventing the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration process from evolving in a normal manner. There was a need to make sure that neighbouring countries were in a position to cooperate, as in the north-east of the country there was concern for the population, as the Coalition of Patriots for Change was receiving supplies from Sudan. Neighbouring countries must ensure that armed groups did not use them as base camps for their combat.

There needed to be a restoration of the States authority throughout the country, and there should be a discipline charter for all. To combat impunity, it was vital for this to happen to find a way out of the crisis: justice needed to be given to all victims, including victims of sexual violence. For the restoration of the States authority, there was a need for training of the defence and security forces. Major efforts had been made in this regard, but they were insufficient.

On the contribution of the international community to ensure that international commitments were respected, first, it was vital for technical and financial assistance to be provided by all United Nations mechanisms that had made recommendations. The international community must provide further assistance so that mechanisms could be established. Second, there was a need for the adoption of a national human rights policy, and this would allow for all challenges to be addressed at the national level. Third, on cooperation, it was important that the Central African Republic cooperate further with the United Nations human rights mechanisms and the Universal Periodic Review mechanism in particular.

Mr. Agbetse said that on combatting impunity, it was important to support the activities of the International Criminal Court. Another aspect of combatting impunity was the need to support the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission, and for this, it was vital that the Commission be supported by the international community, the United Nations country team, and all technical and financial partners. There must be substantive reform of the national court system so that it could address corruption. The upcoming local elections were vital for the country to hold these in a free and transparent manner, and measures should be adopted now to ensure the participation of women, young persons, displaced persons and refugees.

Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya

Report

The Council has before it the report on the Situation of human rights in Libya by the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya (A/HRC/50/63).

Presentation of Report

MOHAMED AUAJJAR, Chair of the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya, presenting the report, said at present, the culture of impunity continued to prevail in Libya and posed a great obstacle towards achieving national reconciliation, as well as justice, truth and reparations for victims and their families. The Fact-finding Missions efforts continued to be directed towards human rights violations and abuses as well as international crimes - these posed a challenge to Libyas transition to peace, democracy and the rule of law. The investigation team had conducted four investigative missions to Libya throughout its mandate, holding high-level exchanges with Libyan authorities, both political and judicial and representatives of civil society organizations. Some of the violations identified included direct attacks on civilians during the conduct of hostilities; arbitrary detention; enforced disappearances: sexual and gender-based violence; torture; violations of fundamental freedoms; persecution of and violations against journalists, human rights defenders, civil society, minorities, and internally displaced persons; and violations of the rights of women and children.

Civilians had suffered from the throes of war in violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Enforced disappearances had left families in the dark about the fate of their loved ones. Patterns of torture and inhumane treatment of detainees were prevalent in several prisons. Extrajudicial killings were routinely used as a means of punishment. Children had been recruited and used to take a direct part in hostilities. Thousands of internally displaced persons were still unable to return to their homes. Migrants, refugees and asylums seekers found themselves caught in patterns of violence, at sea, in detention centres and in the hands of traffickers. And violence had had a dramatic impact on Libyans economic, social and cultural rights.

The human rights situation in Libya called for urgent action, to stop immediately human rights violations and abuses, to ensure that the rights of victims were restored and that they obtained reparations, and to ensure that all those who had violated human rights and committed international crimes were held to account, in Libya and abroad, with no exception. Now, more than ever, the Libyan people deserved a strong commitment, from within and also from the international community, to bring justice and a sustainable peace to their country. This could not be achieved without strong political will and unwavering support for a democratic transition towards a State based on the rule of law and human rights. Free and fair elections were essential to achieving this end.

Statement by Country Concerned

LAMIA ABUSEDRA, Permanent Representative of Libya to the United Nations Office at Geneva, commended the progress made by the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya on its specific mandate. The report highlighted the serious challenges facing Libya, including the political division, insecurity, the proliferation of weapons and the increasing phenomenon of irregular migration and external intervention. Despite these circumstances, Libya was moving forward on the path of protecting and promoting human rights. This commitment had been reflected in many political, legal, and practical initiatives, most recently by the Cabinets creation of a permanent national authority to coordinate the Government's preparation of reports to human rights mechanisms. This body would also take advantage of the recommendations of the Fact-finding Mission and put them into practice. Libya would rely heavily on the final recommendations of the work of the Fact-finding Mission to draw up a clear road map to promote human rights and fight impunity, under Libyas national project of reconciliation and justice. Ms. Abusedra stressed the need for the Mission to complete its work within its time limits because any delay would have a negative impact on the national track.

Libya had dealt positively with the members of the Council, particularly in cooperation with the Fact-finding Mission. Libya had decided to submit a draft resolution through the African Group to extend the Mission's mandate for an additional and final term, ending within nine months. Ms. Abusedra stressed that the Mission must adhere to its mandate, within the framework of Libyas religious and cultural specificities. The road to promoting human rights was an arduous and long path, and Libya emphasised the need for the Council, as well as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to continue and intensify technical support and capacity building to national institutions.

Discussion

In the ensuing discussion, some speakers said the human rights situation in Libya remained deeply concerning. It was unacceptable that reports of torture, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and sexual and gender-based violence remained largely unaddressed. The resurgence of politically motivated violence was condemned. All actors should work towards a peaceful political transition in Libya and adopt a holistic national human rights plan of action to ensure full respect for human rights and a sustainable transition to peace and democracy through fair elections. The conditions in which asylum seekers, migrants and refugees were detained in Libya were deeply alarming. All political actors in Libya should refrain from taking actions that would deepen divisions and undermine the hard-won stability achieved since the signing of the ceasefire agreement in October 2020.

Several speakers called for the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission to be extended, saying the renewal of this important mandate enabled strengthened cooperation between the international community, the Fact-finding Mission and Libyan institutions. It also provided the opportunity to strengthen capacity building and technical assistance to advance the protection of human rights and accountability processes across the country. The Mission should, however, abide by its mandate and complete its work on schedule, whilst focusing on the needs of Libya, a speaker stressed. Libya should continue to cooperate with the Mission to ensure that a useful rapport could be the foundation for further progress.

The fight against impunity was vital for transitional justice to be effective. The shrinking of civil society was an issue that could restrict grassroots actions, and could affect the lifting of any repression of freedoms of expression and association. All prisoners arbitrarily detained should be freed immediately. Libyas long-term stabilisation was supported, and all parties should contribute towards this progress. It was important to investigate all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law that had taken place since 2014. Ensuring accountability would provide a stable foundation for the future protection of human rights.

Libya was to be commended for its work on human rights, a speaker said, including establishing a national human rights plan, and follow up on recommendations made by the Universal Periodic Review and treaty bodies. The international community, the United Nations and the Human Rights Council should provide assistance to ensure that transitional justice was provided, including capacity building and technical assistance in order to strengthen the rule of law and respect for human rights. The progress made so far should be built on, and a progressive solution to the situation should be created without bowing to pressures from afar.

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Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the information media;not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

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Human Rights Council Holds Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in the Central African Republic and...

The Human Rights Council this afternoon heard a presentation on cooperation with Georgia and concluded its interactive dialogue with the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya.

Hulan Tsedev, Chief of the Europe and Central Asia Section at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, presenting the High Commissioners oral update on Georgia, said the lack of political solutions to address security and humanitarian related risks for the enjoyment of human rights had been compounded by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The absence of regular monitoring and availability of effective remedies was exacerbated by the lack of access, in some instances, for international human rights organizations and mechanisms, especially in the context of South Ossetia. The Office called on all those concerned to put human rights sensitive approaches at the centre of efforts to address outstanding issues and individual cases with a view to minimising tensions and building trust.

Georgia, speaking as a country concerned, said Georgia stood in solidarity with Ukraine, as this was an example of the same pattern of behaviour that Russia had been carrying out against Georgia. As much as Russia tried to deny responsibility, it was responsible for gross violations carried out against the Georgian population. The consolidated approach of the international community was essential for reminding Russia to comply with the cease fire agreement and ensure the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons. No progress had been made in executing justice and perpetrators of crimes remained at large, contributing to the sense of impunity.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Council concluded its interactive dialogue with the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya.

In the interactive dialogue, some speakers said that although they were aware of the challenges facing the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya, there was concern at the lack of documentation of many violations amounting to war crimes. The report should have documented grave violations and crimes and initiated accountability. Crimes against humanity and other crimes against international law had been committed with impunity, and successive governments had unaccountably integrated perpetrators, continuing the lack of accountability for organized crime and terrorism, among other violations of human rights, and causing a shrinking of civil space. The Mission should continue its mandate, and be supported until its work was complete and there had been significant improvement of the human rights situation on the ground. The Mission or an alternative mission was required to oversee efforts for peace, and failure to do this would only hamper them, as it was crucial to ensure domestic accountability. The Government had cooperated with the Mission during recent visits, but the Missions work was incomplete.

In concluding remarks, Tracy Robinson, Member of Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya, said that the human rights situation in Libya was grave and accountability was still outstanding. While the Council awaited the March 2023 report, there was no need to delay attention to the recommendations made by the Fact-Finding Mission, including providing a framework for technical support, focusing on truth, justice and reconciliation. The international community could support Libyans through dialogue around human rights in online spaces.

Chaloka Beyani, Member of the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, said in concluding remarks that the Mission was a means by which the international community was supporting the Libyan peoples quest for self-determination through free and fair elections, accountability and justice, and this should be fully supported. The Mission had made and would make more concrete recommendations to this end, and he encouraged members of the Human Rights Council to follow-up on the implementation of these recommendations.

Speaking in the discussion on Libya were Human Rights Solidarity Organization, Amnesty International, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, International Commission of Jurists, Human Rights Watch, Partners for Transparency, Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights Association, Rencontre Africaine pour la defense des droits de lhomme, World Organization Against Torture and Institut International pour les Droits et le Dveloppement.

Speaking in right of reply was the Russian Federation.

The webcast of the Human Rights Council meetings can be found here. All meeting summaries can be found here. Documents and reports related to the Human Rights Councils fiftieth regular session can be found here.

The next meeting of the Human Rights Council will be at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 7 July, when it is scheduled to begin consideration of draft decisions and resolutions before closing its fiftieth regular session.

Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya

The interactive dialogue with the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya started in the previous meeting and a summary can be found here.

Discussion

Some speakers said that although they were aware of the challenges facing the Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya, there was concern at the lack of documentation of many violations amounting to war crimes. The report did not document the enforced displacement of tens of thousands of citizens, some since 2014, from various regions. The report should have documented grave violations and crimes and initiated accountability. Crimes against humanity and other crimes against international law had been committed with impunity in Libya, and successive governments had unaccountably integrated perpetrators, continuing the lack of accountability for organized crime and terrorism, among other violations of human rights, and causing a shrinking of civil space.

The Mission should continue its mandate and be supported until its work was complete, and there had been significant improvement of the human rights situation on the ground, some speakers said. There was concern that the current draft resolution submitted once again contained an abbreviated timeframe for the mandate of the Mission of only nine months. This break of usual practice broke the Councils duty to oversee the situation, a speaker said, and the resolution before the Council sent a dangerous message to armed groups, that the international community lacked the will to oversee a sustained accountability process. The Mission or an alternative mission was required to oversee efforts for peace, and failure to do this would only hamper them, as it was crucial to ensure domestic accountability.

Some speakers said that the Government had cooperated with the Mission during recent visits, but the Missions work was incomplete. Human rights conditions remained precarious, as serious human rights violations committed by armed groups continued, and abuse was rampant. To date, no perpetrators had been held to account. The investigative work of the Mission held the key to ensuring that this situation was remedied. Violations of the rights of human rights defenders, judges and other actors continued. The rights of children needed to be further defended. The activities of those blocking the establishment of a Government of National Unity should be put to an end.

Concluding Remarks

TRACY ROBINSON, Member of Independent Fact-finding Mission on Libya, thanked all the delegations and civil society for their comments and questions. There was key consensus on the Fact-Finding Mission and its mandate, including the importance of extending the work of the Mission. The human rights situation in Libya was grave and accountability was still outstanding. The international community must help. While the Council awaited the March 2023 report, there was no need to delay attention to the recommendations made by the Fact-Finding Mission, including providing a framework for technical support, focusing on truth, justice and reconciliation. This had been welcomed by the State and by many delegations, and was now open for action.

Ms. Robinson said areas where the international community could assist included the pervasive family-wide victimisation, in which children were victims and women were left to manage family structures with little support, while searching for disappeared family members. There was a strong pattern of online abuse which included abuse against children. It was critical to ensure that recovery was a victim-led process, and space could be found for their participation. A good signal of cooperation would be the repeal of the Presidential Decree and the beginning of preparing a code of conduct for public officials speech. Ms. Robinson said that the international community could support Libyans through dialogue around human rights in online spaces.

CHALOKA BEYANI, Member of the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, said the national human rights plan of action was a Libyan holistic approach to the better protection and promotion of human rights, as well as to assist the pillars of transitional justice. This latter was one of the major solutions for sustainable justice, but it should also include the right to truth, accountability for perpetrators, reparation and memorialisation for victims, and the righting of wrongs. This was an area of technical cooperation which the international community could assist with, including investigating, prosecutorial integrity, and the establishment of special tribunals.

The Mission was a means by which the international community was supporting the Libyan peoples quest for self-determination through free and fair elections, accountability and justice, and this should be fully supported. The Mission had made and would make more concrete recommendations to this end, and Mr. Beyani encouraged members of the Human Rights Council to follow-up on the implementation of these recommendations. The attack on the Hadaba military academy had been documented in the report, as well as the attack on Tajura and other incidents. War crimes had been documented. With regard to internally displaced persons, there were copious paragraphs relating to them, and the report noted that attacks on them had in some cases constituted war crimes.

Oral Update by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Cooperation with Georgia

Presentation

HULAN TSEDEV, Chief of the Europe and Central Asia Section at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, presenting the High Commissioners oral update, said as in previous years, the Office of the High Commissioners Senior Human Rights Adviser for the South Caucasus, based in Tbilisi, had continued to provide technical assistance to the Government and institutions of Georgia, civil society organizations and other actors, to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights in the country. The Office of the High Commissioner called on the authorities in Georgia to adopt the national human rights strategy and the national human rights action plan. It was essential to maintain the level of the functional independence of institutions dealing with torture prevention and privacy protection while ensuring transparency and public debate. The lack of political solutions to address security and humanitarian related risks for the enjoyment of human rights had been compounded by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The absence of regular monitoring and availability of effective remedies in Georgia was exacerbated by the lack of access, in some instances, for international human rights organizations and mechanisms, especially in the context of South Ossetia. These features combined also contributed to the deepening of the existing vulnerabilities and socio-economic isolation of the affected populations. All relevant parties should ensure prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into the cases of alleged violations of the right to life that had occurred since 2014 in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, including those mentioned in previous reports by the Office to this Council. All relevant parties should build on some positive examples from 2021 and conduct a thorough and transparent review of all alleged cases of arbitrary and prolonged deprivations of liberty in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The Office called on all those concerned to put human rights sensitive approaches at the centre of efforts to address outstanding issues and individual cases with a view to minimising tensions and building trust.

Statement by Country Concerned

Georgia, speaking as a country concerned, expressed gratitude for the oral update. Georgia stood in solidarity with Ukraine, as this was an example of the same pattern of behaviour that Russia had been carrying out against Georgia. As much as Russia tried to deny responsibility, it was responsible for gross violations carried out against the Georgian population. The consolidated approach of the international society was essential for reminding Russia to comply with the cease fire agreement and ensure the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons. The conflict affected people in Georgia were prevented from access to their families, healthcare, and education due to various sanctions enforced by Russian forces.

The oral update spoke about the persistent reoccurrence of human rights violations, particularly affecting ethnic Georgians. Movement restrictions had put pressure on the most vulnerable members of society, including the elderly and those with medical conditions. No progress had been made in executing justice and perpetrators of crimes remained at large, contributing to the sense of impunity. There were also cases of illegal detention of Georgian citizens who must immediately be released. The Geneva Discussions remained the only format to ensure that the Russian Federation would adhere to its international obligations.

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Human Rights Council Hears Presentation on Cooperation with Georgia and Concludes Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Fact-finding Mission on...