Human Rights Watch Says Eastern Libyan Authorities Executed at Least 31 Detainees After Secret Military Trials
Human Rights Watch reports that military authorities in eastern Libya have executed at least 31 people since late August and warns that at least 50 more detainees held at Gernada prison remain at risk after secret military trials linked to forces commanded by General Khalifa Haftar.
Human Rights Watch is accusing military authorities in eastern Libya of carrying out a wave of covert executions that has left dozens dead and many more prisoners in fear for their lives.
In a statement on 16 October, the group said military authorities in the east had executed at least 31 people since late August. It linked these actions to the Libyan Arab Armed Forces led by General Khalifa Haftar and said the executions followed secret military trials.
Human Rights Watch added that at least 50 other detainees held at Gernada military prison remain at risk of execution. The organization said the trials were conducted by military courts, with proceedings hidden from public view.
For families of those detained at Gernada, the secrecy around these trials means they may have little warning about hearings or sentences and may not be informed before executions take place. That uncertainty adds to the climate of fear and makes it harder to challenge verdicts or conditions of detention.
Gernada prison sits at the centre of these allegations. It is under the authority of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, which control large parts of eastern Libya and answer to Haftar. Human Rights Watch’s warning suggests that decisions taken inside this single facility could determine the fate of dozens of people tried in military courts.
The reported executions carry implications beyond the prison walls. Eastern Libya hosts important infrastructure and armed units, and the way its security forces handle detainees is watched closely by foreign governments and international organizations weighing their engagement with authorities there.
What happens next will depend in part on the response from Haftar’s command and the eastern authorities: whether they address the allegations, allow outside access to Gernada, or continue with further executions. Reactions from the UN, possible calls for a halt to executions, or moves toward international investigations would help show whether these killings remain an internal issue or become a test case for wider accountability in Libya.
Sources
- OSINT