The Libyan parliament has approved a new law regulating the operations of the General Intelligence Service. The law was approved by the House of Representatives and referred to the head of the General Intelligence Service to put it into practice. The new law goes by the number 8 of 2023 and grants the head of the agency the status of an advisor to the head of the state with regard to the country’s security and safety. Additionally, the head of the agency would be directly accountable to the head of state.
The law specifies that the agency will not be subject to any oversight body to maintain the confidentiality of its work. Instead, a secret oversight committee will be formed for the agency by a decision of the state’s president. The agency will consist of a president, two deputies, a secretary-general, and a sufficient number of managers and employees. Anyone appointed to a job in the agency will undergo a one-year probationary period.
According to the new law, the occupants of positions in the agency cannot hold dual nationality and must have non-naturalized parents. The wives of the occupants should not be foreigners, except if they are from an Arab country. However, the head of the agency can waive this last provision by a decision.
The General Intelligence Service is an organization that plays a significant role in ensuring the safety and security of Libya. The new law regulating its activities is expected to enhance the agency’s operations and make it more effective in its role.