On 10 April 2015, No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) contributed to the UPR Pre-session on Libya, organised by UPR Info at the International Conference Centre in Geneva, in view of the 22nd UPR Working Group session to take place in May 2015.
The purpose of the meeting was to offer Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) the opportunity to brief permanent delegations on the human rights situation in the States under Review. It provided spaced for civil society to engage directly in dialogue with States prior to the review in order to have their concerns and recommendations taken into consideration by lobbying several delegations at once.
The meeting saw the participation of permanent delegations representatives from 30 countries as well as representatives from Libyan civil society organisations, including WILPF Libya, Alkarama, Lawyers for Justice in Libya (LFJL), National Libyan Organisation for the Development of People with Disabilities (NLODPD) and the National Council for Civil Liberties and Human Rights (NCCLHR).
Gianluca Eramo, Coordinator of the MENA Democracy Program of NPWJ, took the opportunity to present the recommendations jointly developed and submitted in October 2014 by NPWJ together with the Libyan Trial Monitoring Network (TMN) and the Civil Network for Transitional Justice (CNTJ).
The recommendations, directed towards the Libyan authorities and to be considered at the 22nd Session of the UPR Working Group to be held in May 2015, address the following main areas:
– ensure the development of an effective and inclusive transitional justice process that, by addressing both past and ongoing human rights violations, can play a crucial role to foster accountability, national reconciliation and ultimately the rule of law;
– ensure the establishment of a coherent, fair and impartial justice system, in conformity with international standards that can break with the legacy of impunity and abuses that typified Muammar Gaddafi’s rule;
– address past and ongoing violations of the human rights of women, in particular with respect to their full empowerment in civic and political life and sexual and gender-based violence, which continues to be widespread, ill-documented and under-reported.
Documentation:
- NPWJ Statement at the UPR Pres-session on Libya
- Joint submission on Libya and Transitional Justice: English / Arabic
- Joint submission on the Libyan Judicial System: English / Arabic
- Joint submission on Libya and Women’s Rights: English / Arabic
NPWJ in Libya
NPWJ has been working on the Libyan transition since early 2011, in the framework of its project to support Libya’s democratic transition through justice and accountability. As the country embarks on legislative reforms, the Libyan authorities can break with the legacy of impunity and abuses that typified Gaddafi’s rule with a new respect for the rule of law and a commitment to restoring justice and dignity to victims. Doing so requires not only the investigation and prosecution of the crimes and violence perpetrated during the revolution, but also efforts to confront a history of oppression and human rights abuses that dates back decades under the rule of the former regime.
For further information, please contact Gianluca Eramo on geramo@npwj.org or Nicola Giovannini (Press & Public Affairs Coordinator) on ngiovannini@npwj.org or +32 2 548 39 15.
