MWE Correspondent
A new report by the United Nations has raised alarm over worsening abuses against migrants trapped inside Libya, warning that thousands of vulnerable people — including young girls — face extreme violence, sexual exploitation, torture and even death while attempting to reach safety in Europe.
The findings, released this week by the global human rights body, describe a system in which migrants are allegedly abducted, detained without legal justification, and forced into conditions that amount to modern-day slavery. Investigators say many victims are denied due process and basic protections, leaving them at the mercy of armed groups and traffickers.
Libya has become one of the world’s most dangerous transit points for migrants fleeing conflict, political instability and poverty, particularly from sub-Saharan Africa. Many risk their lives attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea, hoping to reach Europe and rebuild their lives. Instead, thousands are intercepted and returned to detention centres where conditions remain harsh and, in many cases, life-threatening.
According to the report, migrants are often rounded up during raids, separated from their families and transported to unofficial detention facilities. There, they are exposed to severe overcrowding, lack of food, physical violence and sexual abuse. Women and girls are among the most vulnerable, with many reportedly subjected to rape, forced labour and sexual exploitation.
Officials familiar with the findings say some trafficking networks operate across borders, turning human suffering into a profitable criminal enterprise. Migrants are allegedly bought and sold between groups, treated not as people but as commodities in systems linked to human trafficking.
Also Read; African Nations Explore Debt Restructuring Beyond IMF
Libya’s prolonged instability has worsened the situation. Since the fall of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country has faced years of political division and armed conflict. Weak institutions and competing authorities have created an environment in which criminal networks can operate with limited accountability.
Efforts by foreign partners to curb migration flows have focused heavily on interception and containment. However, human rights observers warn that returning migrants to unsafe conditions increases their exposure to abuse rather than protecting them.
The UN is now calling for urgent international action, including stronger monitoring systems, protection mechanisms and accountability for those responsible for violations. It has also urged authorities to ensure migrants are treated with dignity and in accordance with international law.
Humanitarian observers say the situation remains one of the most serious migration-related human rights crises in the world today. For migrants still trapped inside Libya, the hope of safety remains uncertain, while the threat of violence continues to loom over their daily lives.
