The United Nations mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has urged an independent investigation into a video showing signs of torture on a kidnapped Libyan lawmaker. Ibrahim el-Dirsi, a member of Libya’s eastern-based parliament, was abducted in May 2024 from Benghazi, his home city.
On Tuesday, UNSMIL expressed alarm over Dirsi’s “enforced disappearance” and described the circulating footage of his detention as “disturbing.” The video, aired by Al-Ahrar TV, depicted Dirsi in a prison cell, wearing only shorts, and chained with a padlock around his neck. He appeared to be pleading for mercy, sparking outrage among many.
The Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli condemned the inhumane conditions shown in the images, calling them “degrading, shocking, and inhumane.” It accused forces loyal to military strongman Khalifa Haftar of being responsible. However, Al-Masar TV, a pro-Haftar outlet, dismissed the video, claiming it was a fabrication created using artificial intelligence.
UNSMIL has requested verification from UN digital forensic experts to confirm the authenticity of the footage. The eastern-based interior ministry has blamed “unidentified criminals” for Dirsi’s abduction, promising a thorough investigation.
The UN also condemned ongoing human rights abuses in Libyan detention facilities, highlighting arbitrary detentions, torture, and enforced disappearances as grave violations. It stressed that perpetrators must face justice, warning that such actions could lead to prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
Libya remains deeply divided, with competing factions controlling different parts of the country. In 2019, another lawmaker, Siham Sergewa, was abducted after criticising Haftar, and she remains missing to this day.