The United Nations Libya mission (UNSMIL) has called for an investigation into the death of an activist who was detained in the eastern part of the country since last year.
Siraj Dughman passed away while in custody at Rajma military camp in Rajma town, approximately 27 km (17 miles) east of Benghazi, as reported by UNSMIL on social media platform X.
Expressing deep sorrow, UNSMIL urged authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death.
According to a video statement by Benghazi’s Internal Security Agency, Dughman allegedly died after falling and hitting his head while attempting to escape through a bathroom window by climbing sewage pipes on Friday morning.
The agency claimed that Dughman was under detention pending a case referred by the public prosecution related to meetings discussing political and military matters, including the overthrow of political bodies.
Since the NATO-backed uprising in 2011 that ousted Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has been plagued by ongoing conflict and division. In 2014, it split between eastern factions in Benghazi and western factions in Tripoli, each with its own governing body.
While the security agency asserted that Dughman’s detention adhered to human rights standards, UNSMIL highlighted that Dughman and four others had been arbitrarily arrested and detained in 2023 without formal charges or court appearances. UNSMIL called for the immediate and unconditional release of all arbitrarily detained individuals, including those held with Dughman.
During a recent briefing to the U.N. Security Council, the U.N. envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, voiced serious concerns about the increasing incidents of abductions, disappearances, and arbitrary arrests in Libya. Bathily also announced his resignation to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, citing challenges such as “stubborn resistance, unreasonable expectations, and indifference to the interests of the Libyan people” faced during his mediation efforts.
