The case of Libyan prisoners in Italy is worsening. This is due to a lack of will and decisive action. Hanan Al-Sharif, head of the Libyan Organization for Human Rights, stated this. The issue of Libyan prisoners in Italy dates back over ten years. The organization has issued numerous statements on this matter. It has spoken about it repeatedly. Prisoners and their families continue to suffer.
Al-Sharif made these remarks to Al-Hadath TV. She clarified that Libyan organizations cooperated with human rights activists in Italy. However, she said the file is deteriorating daily.
Young people are in prisons. Mothers are waiting. Al-Sharif added that today’s discussion is no longer merely a human rights debate. It concerns young Libyans whose mouths have been sewn shut in Italian prisons due to extreme despair. Mothers have waited for their sons for decades, oscillating between prayer and fear. Some of these mothers have died, bearing the grief of separation and anticipation.
She affirmed that the Libyan state is capable of protecting its citizens. It can also leave them to collapse in foreign prisons, she said. Al-Sharif pointed out that a prisoner exchange agreement between Libya and Italy exists and has been ratified. International humanitarian law also permits the transfer of prisoners to complete their sentences in Libyan territory. However, she believes the problem is not a lack of solutions. Instead, it is a lack of will, decision, and seriousness in pursuing this file.
She criticized the failure to leverage relations with Italy for the benefit of Libyans. Al-Sharif noted that Libya has a strong relationship with Italy. Italy is a key partner in trade, oil, and gas. However, she stated these relations are not used to protect Libyans or serve their interests. Instead, they are exploited for the benefit of multi-billion dollar companies, she claimed. Meanwhile, the rights of young Libyans held in Italian prisons for years do not receive adequate attention.
Questions persist regarding sentences and legal solutions. Al-Sharif continued by saying the conditions of these young people are difficult and painful. She explained that they left Libya at a young age. Some were under 19 when they emigrated to Italy. The organization respects the Italian judiciary, she added. However, it believes the large number of cases and charges against them raise many questions and ambiguities. She affirmed that even if the sentences against them are valid, the case must be handled legally. This applies under both local and international law. She stressed that a solution exists. However, it requires will, decision, and seriousness. It also needs cooperation between official bodies and human rights organizations.
She rejected the politicization of the file. Al-Sharif added that after direct communication with the government, the question remains. Why has Italy so far refused to release these young people? She questioned whether Rome intends to transform the issue from a humanitarian case into a political one. Or is it using it as blackmail against Libya? In conclusion to her statements, the head of the Libyan Organization for Human Rights expressed her rejection of politicizing this file. She affirmed it is primarily a humanitarian issue. She noted the next phase will involve more serious work. This aims to pressure all relevant state and government parties to follow up on it.