GNU condemns military executions in eastern Libya, warns against politicizing justice

The Office of the Minister of State for Displaced Persons and Human Rights in the Government of National Unity (GNU) strongly condemned the execution by firing squad of several individuals in eastern Libya.

In a statement, the office said carrying out the executions on the basis of military court rulings and by parallel entities operating outside the framework of legitimate institutions represented a highly dangerous development that threatened the right to life and the rule of law.

The statement stressed that the gravity of crimes attributed to any individual, even if classified as terrorist offenses, did not justify undermining guarantees of a fair trial, the right to defense, or the right to appear before the competent civilian judge.

The office recalled an April 2024 ruling by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, which found it unconstitutional to refer civilians to military courts in terrorism cases and rejected the expansion of military jurisdiction in a manner that infringes on civilians’ rights.

The minister warned that enforcing irreversible maximum penalties under Libya’s current circumstances could deepen polarization, undermine confidence in judicial institutions, and obstruct national reconciliation and efforts to build sustainable peace.

The statement called for an immediate halt to any further measures to enforce the sentences, stressing that justice and counterterrorism must not become tools for revenge or settling political scores. It added that state-building must be based on impartial justice that safeguards human dignity rather than force or retaliation.