The National Commission for Human Rights in Libya (NCHRL) said Friday it was upset about the CNN report that alleged there were slave auctions working in public in some Libyan cities including Tripoli suburbs.
The Libyan human rights body indicated in a statement that it was not eased by the exaggerated details in the report and the wrong information it included, such as saying that the slave markets are public in the country, remarking that such rare sights are very discrete and clandestine.
“We condemn the crimes and violations committed against illegal migrants and refugees in Libya by organized crime gangs and human traffickers. We have always voiced concern over the fate of those migrants who are still detained in Libya after being returned from the sea via which they were wishing to reach Europe.” NCHRL explained.
It also urged the Attorney General, Justice and Interior Ministries to probe such crimes happening at the migrants detention centers, besides bringing the human trafficking gangs and kingpins to justice.
The NCHRL further explained that European policies and statements, especially Italian ones, are exaggerating the suffering of migrants in Libya, “and this is so concerning,” it added.
“CNN report and the like is a way to use the suffering of migrants to extort Libyan authorities and press them into achieving the targeted interests of certain European Union (EU) countries, which are trying to resettle illegal immigrants in Libya, thus turning the country into an alternative destination for those wishing to cross to Europe." The human rights body remarked.
The NCHRL's statement also decried the EU policies that aim at intercepting migrants at sea and return them to prisons - detention centers - where foul crimes are being committed against the African migrants, saying such crimes are labeled as war crimes and a violation of international humanitarian law.
CNN report displayed what it described "humiliating" slave auctions where migrants are being sold in Libya, saying authorities in the country were informed and given the evidence, along with the ICC prosecutor.
On Friday, the CNN also reported that Libyan authorities had started probing the slave auctions inside the country.