Libya using draconian laws to suppress activists, violate international law

Libyan authorities' escalating harassment of activists and NGOs threatens to eliminate the civic space for free assembly, Human Rights Watch reported. Backed by militias and a repressive security apparatus, officials use broad, outdated laws to intimidate, detain, and attack civil society members. Since 2011, restrictive decrees have stifled NGO operations, driving many activists into exile or underground. HRW urged Libya to cease these policies and enact laws aligning with international standards to protect civic freedoms.