Haftar's forces execute 30 after secret military trials in eastern Libya

Haftar's forces execute 30 after secret military trials in eastern Libya MEE staff on Sat, 09/26/2026 - 13:13 Amnesty International says defendants were tortured into giving 'confessions' later used as evidence, as 50 more face death Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar leaves after talks with Greece's foreign minister in Athens, on 17 January 2020 (Aris Messinis/AFP) Off At least 30 men have been executed in eastern Libya since late August after being sentenced to death in secretive military trials and at least 50 others remain at imminent risk of execution, local media and rights groups have reported over the last week. Amnesty International said the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF), led by eastern commander Khalifa Haftar and the de facto authorities in the region, resumed executions on 23 August in Libya for the first time since 2010.  Those executed had been convicted following “grossly unfair and secretive trials” marred by torture, the rights group said. Some of those executed or still awaiting death sentences were convicted of murder and terrorism-related offences linked to fighting between the LAAF and opposing armed groups between 2014 and 2018, Amnesty said. Several detainees claimed to have been tortured by armed groups affiliated with the LAAF following their arrests, including to obtain “confessions” that were later used as evidence against them, the rights group said. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “The LAAF authorities must immediately halt all executions,” the organisation said, calling for a moratorium and the overturning of convictions and death sentences handed down following unfair trials. Amnesty also called on authorities to retry civilians accused of internationally recognised criminal offences in accordance with international standards of fairness in civilian courts that do not use evidence obtained through torture. It called on authorities to grant international monitors acc