CAIRO – A court in Libya’s capital sentenced three people to heavy prison terms on human trafficking charges, the first such decision in a North African country where migrants are routinely mistreated.
According to a statement from Libya’s top prosecutor’s office, the three were convicted of human trafficking, detaining and torturing migrants, and extorting their families to pay ransom to release their relatives.
According to the statement, the court condemned one of the accused to life in prison, while the other two received 20-year sentences.
The message provided no other information, such as their identities or nationalities.
On Saturday, General Prosecutor Al-Sediq Al-Sourr was unavailable for comment.
Libya has established itself as the primary transit point for migrants seeking a better life in Europe.
Human traffickers have taken advantage of Libya’s turmoil and smuggled migrants through the country’s extensive border with six countries.
The desperate people are then crammed into ill-equipped rubber boats and other vessels for perilous journeys along the Central Mediterranean Sea route.
For years, the UN and human rights organisations have criticised the appalling conditions endured by migrants trafficked and smuggled over the Mediterranean.
According to UN-backed human rights experts, there is evidence that crimes against humanity have been committed against Libyans and migrants in Libya, including the forced sexual slavery of women.
Source: AP