Written question asked by Lord Hylton (Crossbench) on Tuesday, 6 September 2022, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 20 September 2022. It was answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative) on Wednesday, 28 September 2022 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Libya: Undocumented Migrants

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of refugees and migrants being held in detention centres in Libya; what assessment they have made of the risk of those people being exposed to (1) murder, (2) torture, and (3) extortion; and what steps they are taking, if any, to close such centres.

Answer: The UK notes the abuse of migrants and refugees in Libya and the inhumane conditions in detention centres. The Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya is assessing human rights abuses and violations in detention centres. The UK co-sponsored the renewal of the Fact Finding Mission's mandate in July. We continue to urge the interim Government of National Unity to take steps to end the exploitation and abuse of migrants and to implement a better functioning system that respects human rights. We support the UN's call for detention centres across Libya to be closed, and call on all parties to engage with the UN and the humanitarian community so that all migrants and refugees can be evacuated safely in accordance with international human rights law.

Secondary information