The Libyan Crime Watch and Human Rights Defender called for immediate disclosure of the conditions of inmates in Garnada Prison after Storm Daniel. They also urged for the provision of immediate aid to those affected.
The two rights bodies added a joint statement to which they attached some pictures showing the extent of the destruction of the prison as a result of the storm that struck the eastern region, leaving thousands dead and missing.
The statement said that the Garnada Prison complex, located near the city of Al-Bayda in eastern Libya, was exposed to floods as a result of the storm, which led to parts of the prison being submerged in water. They expressed their deep concern about the Libyan authorities not issuing any official statements about the fate and conditions of hundreds of prisoners and detainees in the Garnada prison complex, in addition to disallowing detainees to communicate with their families.
The statement called for immediate disclosure of the conditions of the detainees, the extent of the harm they were exposed to, and the measures taken by the authorities to preserve their safety and provide the necessary medical and psychological care as well as humanitarian relief to the affected prisoners. It also stressed the need for the authorities to allow family visits to detainees.
The joint statement called for the release of those detained for crimes that are not internationally recognized, such as those detained for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression, and those detained arbitrarily in a manner inconsistent with fair trial procedures.
The two rights bodies also called on the authorities in eastern Libya to allow independent Libyan human rights organizations and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya to visit the Garnada prison complex and review the conditions of detainees to ensure their safety and work to evaluate the living conditions and treatment they are receiving.
