The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, warned on Monday that mercenaries and foreign military personnel present in Libya could face legal actions. She called for an end to the commission of crimes in detention centers. During a video meeting with the UN Security Council regarding Libya, Bensouda stated that "the Office of the ICC has received troubling information about the activities of mercenaries and foreign fighters in Libya," without providing further details.
Bensouda continued, "The crimes committed by mercenaries and foreign fighters on Libyan territory may fall within the jurisdiction of the Court, regardless of the nationality of the individuals involved." According to the United Nations, over 20,000 individuals, including foreign military personnel, are still present in Libya, including Turkish soldiers, Russian mercenaries, and Sudanese and Chadian fighters.
The Chief Prosecutor emphasized that "lasting peace cannot be established without accountability and justice" in Libya. She explained, "We are receiving alarming information regarding crimes being committed, ranging from enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions to torture, sexual, and gender-based violence."
She added, "We have gathered credible information and evidence about serious crimes believed to have been committed in official and unofficial detention centers in Libya." According to the United Nations, there are 8,850 individuals randomly detained in 28 official Libyan prisons, in addition to 10,000 detainees, including women and children, in facilities run by armed groups.
The Chief Prosecutor, who will be succeeded in mid-June by British lawyer Karim Khan, urged all parties involved in the conflict in Libya to immediately stop mistreating civilians and committing crimes against them in detention centers.
