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Libya was one of the three main Arab Spring countries in North Africa. Gaddafi, who ruled Libya single-handedly with an iron fist for 40 years through a unique management style and a ruthless regime, became the third dictator after Ben Ali of Tunisia and Mubarak of Egypt to be overthrown.

Unlike the previous two, however, Gaddafi opted to stand up to the popular uprising and wage war on his people. He even accused Mubarak and Ben Ali, who were overthrown before him, of cowardice and submission, and announced that he would never choose their path. That's why his end was even more disastrous than the other two.

The revolution in Egypt ended on Jan. 25, and Mohammed Morsi was elected President in the second round in the elections held after more than two years of transition. However, less than a year later, he was overthrown after a bloody coup. The same coup was attempted in Tunisia, albeit via different means, but it has proven unsuccessful.

The people of Tunisia, in reference to being the country that initiated the Arab Spring, specifically addressed to the United Arab Emirates, the financier and mastermind of counter-revolutions: "We have exported revolution to our neighbors, we have no intention of importing coups," and declared that they will not stray from the path of the revolution.

Libya, meanwhile, was unable to prevent the coup that took place next door from penetrating it through sheer force and insidious plotting. Former General Haftar, who had been living in the United States for a long time, re-imported the Egyptian-model coup to Libya with the logistical and military support of Egypt's putschist Sisi.

In 2014, less than a year after the coup in Egypt, Haftar announced that the National General Congress, which was elected in Libya, was dissolved. Military uniform-clad and through the command he appointed, he announced a new roadmap for the transition period.

Haftar, who started to work by accusing the legitimate administration in Tripoli of terrorism, also resorted to a type of wooden discourse that would carve out a space for him at the world stage. The armed force he seized somehow gave him the opportunity to have a say and impose his will. What he was looking for was never a new, pluralistic, participatory Libya that would create an environment for dialogue that would include the entire Libyan people.

Haftar, who set out by carrying out his coup in the East, waged war against those in Tripoli and Misrata, yet his first showdown took place in the very same place he started from, in the same Eastern part of the country where he is based today. Initially, he fought against the people of Benghazi, where he embarked on his reign of terror. He managed to subjugate and intimidate the people of Benghazi by either massacring, imprisoning or deporting everyone who opposed him. The path he followed was that of Gaddafis, yet his was even more brutal and violent than his predecessor. Just as his chief supporter and supplier, Sisi, is even more brutal and vicious than previous Egyptian dictators.

He displaced at least 250,000 people from Benghazi, Dernah, Al-Marj, and Bayda Ajdabiya, which he had captured after he just seized power. Most of them are now internally displaced in Benghazi and Misrata. Many of them sought the open waters of the Mediterranean through illegal immigration, news of which we have now grown accustomed to hearing every day, and many of them fell victim to Europe's brutal anti-immigration operations before reaching European shores, drowning in the waters of the Mediterranean.

I recently had the pleasure of receiving Saad Yassin al-Oubeyidi, the head of the Association of Benghazis Forcibly Displaced, and what he had to say on this matter makes ones blood boil.

Saad Yassin has been drawing attention to the state of desperation experienced at the dialogue sessions over the future of Libya that are held under the auspices of the UN in Morocco and Tunisia.

He also had the following to say about the matter: It is out of injustice and desperation that Haftar, who does not even recognize anyone else in any way and whose sole goal is to establish his rule over everything, is treated as a party in these meetings. Because Haftar has never pursued dialogue. His only goal has always only been to annihilate anyone who can share power. Today, hes only holding on to dialogue because its the only thing that could save him after Turkey entered the scene, but he does not deserve to be a part of this dialogue in any way. Take a look at the mass graves he left behind in Tarhuna. This is his modus operandi. Due to all that, he is seen as the representative of the East today. In fact, how can the fact that he has established his rule by committing countless crimes against humanity be disregarded? The military superiority he achieved there was through practices that would require him to stand trial in human rights courts. These actions should only result in him being convicted, as opposed to being granted the right to represent the East. "

Said Yasin continued as follows: "Here, we are living witnesses of how Haftar does not represent the East and the way he established his dominance there, after at least 150,000 people have been forcibly displaced from Benghazi to Tripoli and Misrata. We have been displaced, and dont for a second think that those who stayed there are pleased with him. Haftar, as a putschist, is someone who has no claim to representation and no right to authority like all coup plotters.

Despite this being the case, there is still no representation for the displaced in any of the platforms where the future of Libya is being discussed today.

However, in such cases, one of the most important problems has to be the issue of "forcibly displaced people". As such a matter is considered a very secondary one in all meetings, not a single seat to represent them is allocated in any of the assemblies that have been formed. While the criteria for the list of 75 people formed in Tunisia under the supervision of Stephanie Williams, Deputy Special Envoy of Libya to the United Nations (UN) Secretary General was already problematic to begin with, the absence of any representatives for such an important segment of the people raises its own question mark.

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Winds of Spring in Libya and the issue of the 'forcibly displaced' - YASIN AKTAY - Yeni afak English

SIRTE UN-led military talks between former Libyan rivals began Tuesday in the central city of Sirte, the UN said, the first meetings at the new headquarters of a joint committee.

The talks follow a ceasefire deal last month between Turkey-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) and a rival administration in eastern Libya, supported by the Libyan National Army (LNA) and its commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

The joint military commission had agreed last week on steps towards implementing the deal.

But the Tripoli-based unity governments military command on Tuesday accused mercenaries from a pro-Haftar Russian paramilitary group of preventing its delegation from landing.

The aircraft was not able to land at Sirtes Qardabiya airport because it is occupied by the Wagner mercenary gang which has installed anti-aircraft weapons and scrambling equipment there, GNA forces said in a tweet on Tuesday.

It did not and will not allow them to land, it added, saying the delegation had instead landed at an oil port 200 kilometres (125 miles) further east and headed to Sirte overland.

Also on Tuesday, gunmen shot dead a prominent dissident in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, a stark reminder of the countrys violence.

Sirte, close to the ceasefire line, was the birthplace of longtime ruler Muammar Qaddafi, whose overthrow and killing in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising plunged Libya into turmoil.

Today, Libya is dominated by the Government of National Accord (GNA) in the west, and its eastern-based rival backed by Haftar.

In April 2019, Haftar launched an offensive to seize Tripoli, but was pushed back in June by Turkey-backed pro-GNA forces, resulting in an August truce.

The UN-led joint military committee of five officers from each side held their first meetings on Libyan soil last week, following meetings in Switzerland where they signed a permanent ceasefire deal.

They agreed to make Sirte their headquarters and set up a sub-committee to oversee withdrawals and the departure of foreign forces from the front lines, according to the UN.

The Sirte talks, set to last until Friday, were expected to complete discussions over a ceasefire implementation as well as the formation of specialised sub-committees, the UN said in a statement, without adding details.

They take place in parallel with talks in neighbour Tunisia aimed at creating a government to prepare for elections as well as provide basic services to a country battered by war, economic crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.

The 75 delegates in Gammarthe, near Tunis, are tasked with appointing a three-member Presidency Council representing Libyas three historical regions and a prime minister to lead a separate Government of National Unity.

But the way the delegates were chosen has sparked anger among Libyans.

The Tripoli Protection Force, a major pro-GNA armed group, rejected the list as excluding many military and political forces in order to serve a certain agenda, while eastern Libyans have accused the UN of including too many Islamists.

The tragedy is that those who destroyed the country are the people who are sitting and talking in the name of Libya, one Twitter user wrote in Libyan dialect of Arabic.

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First-time meeting in Sirte between rival Libyan factions | | AW - The Arab Weekly

TUNIS The expressions of cautious optimism about the success of the inter-Libyan dialogue, which were once more echoed during the opening session of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in Tunis, could not dispel growing fears that this dialogue could end up producing a new document that would reproduce and reinforce the dominance of Islamist organisations on the Libyan scene even if under new deceptive headings.

Such concerns have started creeping into the corridors of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in Gammarth, Tunisia, aided by moves described as suspicious that were monitored in the Libyan capital, Tripoli. The Forum itself resumed its work on Tuesday amid a total media blackout imposed by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya.

Circles close to the Acting Head of UN Mission in Libya Stephanie Williams said that this blackout measure falls within the framework of a policy of constructive secrecy, aimed at preventing the conflicting opinions and positions of the participants in this dialogue from coming out into the open and disrupting its course.

Notwithstanding the blackout, The Arab Weekly was able to obtain information leaked from inside the Forum sessions. According to these leaks, a number of participants in the forum saw signs of hidden agendas in some of the articles of the draft document entitled The National Political Programme Document for the Preliminary Phase of the Comprehensive Solution in Libya.

The Arab Weeklys sources said that these apprehensions further started taking shape after reviewing the selection mechanisms that were laid out in the appendix to the new political agreement project regarding the criteria for running for the positions of president of the Presidency Council and of prime minister, and the conditions set out in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the annex to the draft of new political agreement.

The sources believe that these mechanisms virtually make the Acting Head of the United Nations Mission in Libya the guardian of the Libyan people and their political elites, especially as she reserved for herself the right to evaluate the candidates for the two aforementioned positions according to 10 criteria she keeps secret. Oddly enough, such a measure reproduces the actions of former UN Envoy Bernard Lyon, when he imposed Fayez al-Sarraj as President of the Presidential Council at the last moment.

In light of these concerns, The Arab Weekly has learned that about 100 Libyan parliamentarians are preparing to issue a joint statement in which they will warn about the presence of some parties in the corridors of the hotel where the forum is taking place in Tunisia and about their interference in the course of this dialogue by proposing names and promoting specific currents, which threatens to undermine all efforts exerted to make this dialogue a success.

It is expected that these Libyan parliamentarians will hold the United Nations Support Mission in Libya responsible for this serious breach and will demand that it clarify the role of these foreign parties, especially the role of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, the reason for its presence inside the hotel, and its relations with the dialogue forum and its outcomes.

Observers do not rule out the expansion of the circle of those concerns that began inhabiting many Libyan activists, given the number of thorny files that lay in the path of the Tunis Political Dialogue Forum, starting with the complex file of the armed militias and going all the way to the last minute manoeuvres by Islamist organisations, especially the Muslim Brotherhood whose representatives constitute a majority among the forum participants.

Apprehensions about possible Brotherhood manoeuvres also weighed on the Libyan National Army led by Khalifa Haftar. Major General Khaled Mahjoub, Director of the Psychological Guidance Department, did not hesitate to warn against re-enacting the Skhirat Agreement experience that ended up opening the door to the militias and enabling them to manage the conflict in Libya through the Muslim Brotherhood organisation.

In previous statements, Mahjoub said that the Libyans fear the Brotherhoods continued control of the scene in Libya, pointing out at the same time that the Libyan street is now completely gripped by the fear that this organisation will have another chance at continuing its control through the political dialogue sessions that are taking place in Tunisia.

These concerns and fears take on other dimensions, as Parliamentarian Gibril Ouhida shared by phone with The Arab Weekly his concerns about the dangers of allowing decisions during the Tunis meetings to be taken by simple majority, because enabling those participants affiliated with Turkey and the militias loyal to it to achieve what they aspire to, namely control of the executive authority, would lead to the continuation of their influence.

He pointed out that the current allied with Turkey, which is participating in the Tunis dialogue, is more coherent than the other groups who are divided and hold different positions and goals, especially at this juncture when some are betting on the failure of the forum at home and abroad and are working towards that goal in secret.

Ouhida believes that the tactic adopted by the United Nations mission since the Berlin Agreement is to run parallel paths of dialogue to separate the problems that would thwart the dialogue, which means that each path might succeed separately, at least formally, but in the end, the real challenge in all of this maze remains how serious the United Nations, and the US as well, are about putting an end to the actions of the parties obstructing any consensus, or even a minimum level of consensus.

Ouhidas colleague, MP Ibrahim al-Dorsi, told The Arab Weekly by phone that the Tunis Political Dialogue Forum is unclear, its outcomes are unclear, and its guarantors are unclear too. The end of this dialogue reflects a faded image and does not bode well despite our hopes for a better situation.

He did not rule out that the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood would create problems by placing obstacles in the path of the Tunis dialogue in order to achieve their goals and secure for themselves the biggest share, just like what happened with the Skhirat Agreement. He further described in this context all the inter-Libyan dialogue tracks as postponed wars, and time bombs that the United Nations mission failed to deal with in good faith.

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Spectre of Muslim Brotherhood dominance hovers over Libyan Dialogue in Tunis | Jemai Guesmi - The Arab Weekly

SC/14351

Libyas Delegate Points to Damning Evidence, including Perpetrators Names, as Council Members Disagree about Courts Jurisdiction, Impartiality

Against the welcome backdrop of a newly signed ceasefire and fresh political talks in Libya, States must recommit to bringing justice to the victims of the countrys worst atrocity crimes, the International Criminal Courts top prosecutor told the Security Council during a videoconference meeting today, describing the failure to arrest and surrender fugitives as a major stumbling block impeding her work.

Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda recalled that, on 23 October, the warring Libyan parties signed a ceasefire agreement under the auspices of the United Nations in Geneva. Calling on them to assiduously implement it, she declared: Victims of atrocity crimes in Libya must be reassured that, notwithstanding any ceasefire or future agreement, individuals alleged to be responsible for serious crimes [] will be promptly arrested and surrendered. Libya remains a high priority for the Prosecutors Office, with its investigations having progressed significantly since her last briefing in May.

Outlining those developments, she said that even amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic the Court deployed two crucial investigative missions to Libya to collect additional evidence to further strengthen its cases. On 22 June, she issued a statement following the discovery of multiple mass graves in the city of Tarhunah and the south of the nations capital, Tripoli. Over 100 bodies many blindfolded and with their hands tied have been recovered to date. Thanking the Government of National Accord and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for their support, she said those joint efforts continue in line with the cooperation and complementarity principles under Part 9 of the Rome Statute.

Turning to her offices efforts to actively monitor the current situation in Libya, she said it has learned that the recently concluded offensive on Tripoli carried out by the eastern-based militia known as the Libyan National Army is part of a pattern of violence marked by the indiscriminate air strikes and shelling of civilian areas, arbitrary abduction, detention and torture of civilians, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and the pillaging of civilian property. Noting that it has been seen before in places such as Benghazi, Derna, Ajdabiya, Marzuq and Sirte, she also cited credible information showing the increased use of mines and improvised explosive devices against civilians.

In particular, she said, mines and explosive devices were reported placed in civilian garages, kitchens and bedrooms, and were detonated when people returned home after fleeing from fighting in the city. Emphasizing that those deeply disturbing reports would constitute crimes under the Rome Statute, she encouraged the Council and all United Nations Member States to convey a clear and firm message to commanders be they military or civilian and all parties and armed groups in Libya that the rules of international humanitarian law must be respected and that those who defy such rules will be held individually responsible.

Turning to other investigations, she said her office is following reports of the targeting of civilians who voiced opposition to militias in the east and west of the country. UNSMIL recently called for an investigation into the alleged use of excessive force by security forces in Zawiyah and Tripoli. She is also receiving and examining evidence about allegations of serious crimes in prisons and detention facilities throughout Libya, including the arbitrary detention and torture of civilians. She urged all parties to end such practices, while calling for international observers and investigators to be given full access to detention facilities across Libya.

Noting that her office continues to monitor the situation of internally displaced persons, as well as crimes committed against migrants, who continue to be exposed to trafficking and torture, she voiced deep concern that despite the Councils imposition of sanctions against Ahmad Oumar al-Dabbashi for his involvement in crimes against migrants he reportedly continues to commit them. She welcomed recent positive developments in that area including the European Unions imposition of sanctions against Mousa Adyab for human trafficking, as well as the rape and killing of refugees and the sentencing by an Italian court of three individuals for crimes committed against migrants.

She warned that the failure by some States and parties to arrest and surrender fugitive individuals continues to constitute a major stumbling block preventing my office from seeking effective justice for the victims. Among those warranted individuals who remain at large are Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf al-Werfalli, a former commander alleged to have executed 43 civilians, and General Khalifa Haftar, the leader of the Libyan National Army. Arrest warrants against Saif alIslam Gaddafi and Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled also remain unexecuted, she said, noting that the latter is alleged to be in Egypt.

Welcoming the strong cooperation of many States and stakeholders, she nevertheless declared: We find ourselves in an age where powerful forces increasingly aim to undermine the cause of international criminal justice as a continuation of politics by other means. What is required is greater support for the Court and the international rule of law, not less. Any act that may undermine the global movement towards greater accountability for atrocity crimes and a ruled-based international order must be avoided, she warned, urging the Council to stand firmly in advancing the cause of justice.

As delegations delivered virtual remarks, many speakers welcomed the signing of the ceasefire agreement on 23 October and the first meeting of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum on 9 November. Several underlined the critical need to ensure justice for the most atrocious crimes in Libya, welcoming the Libyan Government of National Accords cooperation with the Court to that end. While many speakers called for all States to execute arrest warrants issued by the Court, others expressed deep reservations, voicing concern about the institutions jurisdiction, impartiality and overall usefulness both in Libya and elsewhere.

The representative of Belgium was among those speakers underlining his countrys firm support for the Court, which he stressed depends on the cooperation of all stakeholders. Praising the engagement of the Libyan authorities, he called upon all States including Egypt to demonstrate the same level of cooperation, while emphasizing that all parties have a responsibility to hand over fugitives wanted by the Prosecutors Office. Describing it as unacceptable that the Council has not shouldered its responsibility for the financial functioning of the Court at a time when it is most critical, he voiced regret about sanctions and threats made recently against the Court and its Chief Prosecutor. Attacking the [Court] is attacking our values, he said, calling upon the United States in particular to return to a cooperative relationship with the Court.

Estonias representative called on all States to uphold and defend the values enshrined in the Rome Statute and respect the Courts integrity and impartiality. Condemning violations of international law in Libya including the use of land mines and improvised explosive devices by the Libyan National Army and others he called on authorities in charge of detention facilities to fully cooperate with international observers and investigators and voiced concern about crimes against migrants and refugees. He also noted with concern that there has so far been no implementation of the Courts warrants in the case of Libya, which has meant that all three fugitives accused of serious crimes remain at large.

The representative of the Dominican Republic expressed hope that the recently signed ceasefire agreement will be implemented and usher in a lasting peace. Calling for the international community to step up the fight against impunity by fully supporting the Prosecutors Office, she said perpetrators of serious crimes must be brought to justice for the sake of victims and the prevention of further atrocities. Welcoming cooperation between the Court and the Government of National Accord, she nevertheless regretted that crimes continue against detainees, civilians and civilian infrastructure. She called on all stakeholders to intensify efforts to ensure the arrest of fugitives warranted by the Court, and on the Libyan parties to refrain from any further violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

The representative of France stressed that the Prosecutors Office must be allowed to do its work without impediments. Emphasizing that ending impunity in Libya is crucial for the re-establishment of stability and democracy, he urged stakeholders and third-party States to fully cooperate with the Court including in the arrest of fugitives and provision of evidence. Access must be granted to investigate situations of arbitrary detention and allegations of inhumane conditions, he said, adding that the trafficking of migrants and refugees must stop. Pledging that France will work to advance a political solution, he said all agreements must now be implemented and monitored effectively. He also joined other speakers in stressing the importance of complementarity between the Court and national judicial mechanisms.

The representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Council President for November, spoke in her national capacity, welcoming that todays meeting emerges against the backdrop of positive developments in Libya. Expressing support for the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum currently under way, she said her delegation also looks forward to the convocation of the Libyan National Reconciliation Conference. In that vein, she underscored the importance of full cooperation and the principle of complementarity of the Rome Statute, which are fundamental for the Court to effectively discharge its mandate. She also echoed other speakers in denouncing the imposition of unilateral sanctions against the Court and its officials, and calling for their immediate removal.

Germanys representative called upon both the Libyan parties and international actors to support the 23 October ceasefire, and for full compliance with the Councils arms embargo. Recalling the extremely worrisome human rights conditions that impelled the situations initial referral to the Court, he encouraged the Prosecutor to continue her important work. Among other things, he affirmed the importance of Libyan efforts to collect evidence, noting that the ceasefire agreement provides an opportunity for further cooperation with the Court. Expressing horror at the carnage of explosive devices and the discovery of mass graves and deep concern over allegations of inhumane conditions and torture he called for accountability in all cases, while asking all stakeholders to assist in the arrest of fugitives.

The representative of Indonesia welcomed the progress made on national dialogue, calling upon all parties to respect the ceasefire agreement while declaring: A military solution will never be an answer. He also commended Tunisia for hosting the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum and Morocco and Egypt for hosting previous meetings. Underlining the need to fully respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians, he called for increased relief aid amid the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that progress on the security and political fronts must be complemented by progress on justice.

The representative of Niger said the fight against impunity must be an integral part of national reconciliation and lasting peace in Libya. Hailing the signing of the October ceasefire agreement, he voiced his hope that the accord will lead to the establishment of peace and stability and create the conditions needed for justice in Libya. However, he warned that peace also depends on compliance with the arms embargo. Libya does not need weapons or mercenaries, but instead further support and encouragement by neighbouring countries. He called for more attention on stopping the spread of COVID-19 and addressing the situation of migrants, who continue to be used as human shields.

South Africas representative voiced concern that arrest warrants for fugitives remain unexecuted, constituting the greatest obstacle faced by the Chief Prosecutor. Expressing support for the development of domestic institutions to investigate and prosecute crimes, he also commended the Prosecutors efforts to promote justice in domestic jurisdictions. Despite the myriad challenges including the impacts of COVID-19 it is heartening to note that the Prosecutors Office was able to cooperate with the Government of National Accord and advance ongoing investigations. Against that backdrop, he called on all parties and stakeholders to recommit to building a durable peace based on inclusive political dialogue.

The representative of the United Kingdom, recalling his countrys support for a Human Rights Council resolution establishing a fact-finding mission to investigate violations in Libya, reaffirmed its strong support for the Prosecutors work. He reiterated calls on all relevant States to cooperate on the arrest of outstanding fugitives, welcomed the cooperation of the Government of National Accord with the Prosecutors Office and noted with concern reports of abuses by the Libyan National Army. Citing the United Kingdoms support for de-mining efforts, he condemned all violations of international law including sexual violence and attacks on journalist and activists and called for the investigation of all politically motivated disappearances and intimidation.

The representative of Viet Nam joined others in welcoming the new ceasefire agreement, as well as the launch of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum. Urging the international community including the Council to help the parties implement the ceasefire, he underlined the need for continued constructive engagement in peace talks in line with resolution 2510 (2020) and the outcome of the Berlin Conference. He also emphasized that accountability for violations of international law and serious criminal acts should be achieved in accordance with international law, including respect for a States independence and sovereignty.

Tunisias representative echoed expressions of support for the Court and its Rome Statute, adding that as a party to the Court and as Libyas neighbour his country fully supports efforts to bring about a peaceful, consensus-based political solution built upon the rejection of all forms of foreign interference. Condemning reports of murder, torture, arbitrary detention, attacks against civilians and crimes against migrants and refugees, he said Council resolutions and the Rome Statute should form the basis for efforts to achieve the delicate balance between ending impunity and bringing about peace. In that vein, he called for greater complementary and stressed that the Courts work should not be conducted at the expense of Libyas own judicial system.

The representative of China said the situation in Libya has finally shown a ray of hope with the signing of the ceasefire agreement and the opening of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum on 9 November. The international community should now seize that window of opportunity to support the parties in advancing a Libyanled and Libyanowned political agreement, he said, emphasizing the need to strictly enforce the arms embargo and fully respect Libyas sovereignty and territorial integrity. Noting that Chinas position on the Court remains unchanged, he nevertheless rejected the imposition of unilateral sanctions against its Chief Prosecutor and called for an end to such bullying tactics.

The representative of the United States said accountability for the architects of Libyas darkest days will bring justice to victims while delivering a powerful deterrent message. For that reason, his country supported the recent announcement of the European Unions economic sanctions against Mahmoud al-Werfalli for his human rights abuses. The United States plans to propose the designation of Mohammed al-Kani and the Kaniyat militia on the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee. Voicing opposition to any foreign military intervention, he also reiterated Washington, D.C.s, principled objection to any assertions of the Courts jurisdiction over nationals of States that are not parties to the Rome Statute, absent a referral by the Council or the consent of such States. His delegations concerns regarding the Court and the situation in Afghanistan are well-known, he said, adding that its position on the Court in no way diminishes its commitment to accountability.

The representative of the Russian Federation expressed regret that, in the case of Libya, a once-mighty State has fallen victim to the interests of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), with the entire region paying the price. Welcoming the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, he said justice is not always the key to peace, as is the case when a biased international court is involved. Recalling that the Court chose not to investigate the death of civilians resulting from NATO air strikes, he said the same selective approach is seen in its work today. In that light, he questioned whether the Courts work is indeed a stabilizing factor, or merely pushes back attempts to achieve peace in Libya. Justice can and should be achieved in national courts, he said, declaring: The [International Criminal Court] is unnecessary.

The representative of Libya said the Prosecutors briefing provided damning evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Tripoli in April 2019, including the identity of the perpetrators. Underlining the principles of cooperation and complementarity with the Court, he said his Government has requested the deployment of a fact-finding mission to study crimes committed by General Haftar and his militias. Those included the deliberate targeting of schools, hospitals, energy and water facilities and migrant accommodation centres, as well as the use of landmines. He noted that, to date, around 200 human remains including those of women, children and victims who were buried alive have been discovered in the mass grave discovered at Tarhuna.

Pointing out that his Government bears the responsibility for uncovering crimes which are not subject to statute of limitations and identifying perpetrators, he thanked the Court for its support. Indeed, it is now clear that there is enough evidence to determine the perpetrators and to issue the necessary indictments. While Libya respects the Courts procedures, the release of these results and the issuing of arrest warrants in the case of the aggression against Tripoli should be fast-tracked. This is the least we can do for the families of the victims, he stressed. Describing the recently launched Libyan Political Dialogue Forum as a critical step forward, he nevertheless warned that support for it should not come in the form of external dictates, interference or hegemony, and stressed that Libya must determine its own future.

For information media. Not an official record.

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Despite New Ceasefire in Libya, Justice for Atrocity Crime Victims Thwarted by Failure to Arrest Fugitives, International Criminal Court Prosecutor...

In Libya, for womens rights defenders, even the dead are not permitted to rest.

The grave of Hanan al-Barassi, a vocal critic of corruption and armed groups in the east of the country, was desecrated just days after she was assassinated.

The daughter of the prominent dissident lawyer posted pictures of the little shards of shattered gravestone scattered on the ground.

Al-Barassi was gunned down in broad daylight in Benghazis busy city centre on Tuesday, a day after she had posted on her Facebook page saying she was going to release a video exposing the alleged corruption of the family of east-Libyan renegade commander General Khalifa Haftar.

She was startling open and brave in her criticism of the armed factions which have run rife across Libya in the war-wracked years since the 2011 demise of Muammar Gaddafi.

And for that she and her daughter had received numerous death threats, she was eventually silenced, and her grave destroyed.

But Al-Barassi is not an exception. Her murder came just 16 months after the disappearance of another prominent Benghazi woman, rights activist and parliamentarian Siham Sergewa, who was kidnapped by armed men in the middle of the night from her home, after openly criticising Haftars war on Tripoli. No one knows what happened to Sergewa, there are horrific reports she was potentially raped, tortured and murdered.

Salwa Bugaighis, Fariha Barkawi and Salwa Yunis al-Hinaid, all three of them prominent outspoken female rights defenders, were murdered in east Libya in 2014.

They are part of a long procession of women in Libya, who are usually the most vocal human rights defenders and for that have been threatened, assaulted, raped, kidnapped, disappeared and murdered for speaking out.

Women who, because they are women, are more vulnerable: they do not have powerful military brigades and militias to protect them. Instead many of them are blamed for the violence against them because they dared to step out of the traditional gender roles and speak their mind. They are not even protected by the powerful tribes they may hail from because few are willing to go out on a limb for a noisy woman.

In the six years that I have closely covered Libya, one of the most frustrating and heartbreaking truths of the messy war-torn country is the absence of space given to Libyas highly educated and capable women and the dangers faced by those who try to carve out an arena anyway.

Women, who have for years spearheaded Libyas civil society movements, are largely frozen out of the decision-making process at a potentially catastrophic loss to the country. While there are female members of parliament and a sprinkling of ministers, the internationally recognised presidential council anchored in Tripoli is all male and headed up by Faiez Serraj.

The rival administration in the east is largely male too. All the armed brigades and militias are staffed by men and play a worryingly powerful role in the peace negotiations.

Even in the United Nations-brokered peace negotiations taking place right now, women are woefully underrepresented: of the 75 Libyans participating in the latest round of talks in Tunis, only a touch more than a dozen are women.

Exclusion of women has become the norm, says Rida al-Tubuly, a pharmacology professor, peacebuilder and founder of Together We Built It, which promotes inclusion of women in the peace process.

She said after addressing the UN security council last November about violence against women and the need for freedom of expression, she was accused of being a spy for foreign countries on social media groups and by a well-known Libyan TV channel. She subsequently received death threats by people who said they knew where she lived.

We are frustrated and disappointed with the international community facilitating the process, that they are not gender mainstreaming what is coming, she added.

She said nothing underscored this issue more than the fact that Hanan al-Barassi was murdered in the middle of the peace talks, and no one has been held to account.

I am calling on [the UN] to make sure this agreement incorporates significant measures that protect women.

Civil society activist and lawyer, Hala Bugaighis, whose is the cousin of murdered Salwa Bugaighis, said at the heart of the problem was the incorrect assumption that women in Libya shouldnt participate in the political area because it is not their place and they are not qualified.

She recently volunteered with the UN on a side-track to the ongoing negotiations where women penned recommendations for the country. Around 120 women, many of them lawyers and academics, laid out plans for transitional justice, saving the economy and restructuring the military.

We are trying to push the UN to use these recommendations, she added with frustration in her voice.

Hanan Salah, a Human Rights Watch researcher for Libya who has documented numerous attacks on women, said the lack of female participation in the current peace process will have worrying knock on effect as they cannot put forward their views on key issues like the drafting of the constitution and how the country presses ahead with elections.

She feared that instead women will be relegated to positions in less critical ministries like culture and tourism, or family affairs.

Women are exposed, she said and the space for them to speak is shrinking by the hour.

In the interim there is almost complete impunity for perpetrators of violence against women. No one has been punished for the murders of Bugaighis, Barkawi or Yunis al-Hinaid Sergewa is still missing there is little hope that anyone will be held to account for Al-Barassis killing.

People in Libya think that when women dare to participate in political life, they have broken a moral social code and deserve what happened to them, said Hala Bugaighis, describing how people blamed her cousin for her own brutal murder.

She related the horrific conversations taking place on Libyan social media about what might have happened to Sergewa as punishment for her activism. Echoing Al-Tubuly, she said they were all accused of working for foreign agents.

No woman who speaks out is safe.

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Libyas women face many dangers for speaking out they need protection so they can help rebuild their country - The Independent