This past week in Libya, there have been horrific human
rights violations. Several hundred people lost their life in the Mediterranean
trying to escape violence in Libya. There were also several members of a
prominent family killed by the Islamic State in Libya. Those trying to escape
were migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers and they were all at risk of
killings, torture, abduction, and physical assault. The human rights division
of the UN Support Mission in Libya had several visits to detention centers in
Libya. They reported concern including “chronic overcrowding, poor sanitation,
health care, and insufficient food.” The spokesperson of the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also stated that there were
reports of physical or verbal mistreatment, labor exploitation, sexual
violence, and confiscation of identity documents.
It is so
sad to me that the people killed in the Mediterranean felt so scared that they
had to flee from their own country when most of them were already in poverty.
The Islamic State in Libya also held an execution of at least 28 Christians in
two separate incidents this week. Something needs to be done in Libya. As a
human, you are allowed to practice whatever religion you want and you should
not be targeted just because you are a Christian. This has been an issue all
year in Libya. Earlier this year, the High Commissioner urged Libyans “to unite
against extremists launching attacks based on religious, ethnic, national,
racial, or political ground” and would like to continue to reiterate this
today.
Emily Burris
04/24/2015
10:16 pm
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