Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Oct. 13 called on [12] Italy to revoke its migration cooperation agreement with Libya, saying the arrangement "has proven to be a framework for violence and suffering, and should be revoked, not renewed." The Memorandum of Understanding [13] (MoU) between the countries, first signed in February 2017, was part of Italy's broader strategy to tighten its national borders. Under the agreement, Italy has provided technical, logistical and financial support the Libyan Coast Guard, enabling the force to intercept tens of thousands of people at sea and return them to Libya. However, NGOs have consistently documented [14] how intercepted refugees and asylum seekers are routinely detained in inhumane conditions, where they face torture and other degrading treatment.
In 2023, a UN Fact-Finding Mission in Libya found [16] reasonable grounds to believe that high-ranking staff of the Libyan Coast Guard colluded with human traffickers and smugglers reportedly connected to militia groups. These officials allegedly demanded and received payments in exchange for turning detained migrants over to the militia groups, in whose hands they were subjected to forced labor and other abuses.
Human rights organizations and refugee advocacy groups have consistently called [17] for the termination of the agreement. Civil society networks, like Refugees in Libya, have mobilized [18] efforts to stop renewal of the MoU, which is set to occur on Nov. 2.
Judith Sunderland, associate Europe director at HRW, urged the EU and all of its member states, including Italy, to "stop financing and legitimizing violence against migrants and fundamentally reorient its Mediterranean policies to prioritize rescue at sea and safe and legal pathways for migration."
The HRW statement came days before the European Commission and Frontex were to host [19] a delegation of Libyan migration officials. HRW called on EU officials to use the opportunity to demand respect for human rights and accountability for abuses.
From JURIST [20], Oct. 13. Used with permission.
