‘Our worst held fears are being confirmed’: Dozens of bodies discovered in Libya mass graves

“Our worst held fears are being confirmed: dozens of bodies have been discovered at these sites, along with the discovery of suspected instruments of torture and abuse, and potential evidence of extrajudicial killings,” Türk said.

The sites where bodies were discovered are run by the Stabilization Support Apparatus (SSA), an armed group tasked with increasing Government security in the capital, Tripoli.  They have long been suspected by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) – and independent rights experts – to be sites of torture and enforced disappearance.

Mr. Türk called for these sites to be sealed for forensic investigations to support accountability.

Libya has endured turmoil since the fall of the Muammar Gaddafi regime 15 years ago and the emergence of rival administrations in 2014: the UN-recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli and the Government of National Stability (GNS) based in Benghazi. 

The UN has supported many ultimately unsuccessful attempts to reunite the country and transition to democratic governance.

Over 80 bodies discovered

In May, the leader of the SSA – Abdul Ghani al-Kikli – was killed, triggering clashes between armed groups and state security forces. Protests also emerged, calling for an end to violence in Tripoli. Multiple civilians were killed and infrastructure – including hospitals – damaged. 

In the wake of this violence, 10 badly charred bodies were discovered at the SSA headquarters in the Abu Salim neighbourhood. 67 more bodies were discovered at hospitals in Abu Salim and Al Khadra hospitals, all in refrigerators and in various states of decay. 

The UN human rights office OHCHR also said that a burial site was discovered at the Tripoli Zoo, which is run by the SSA. 

The identities of the bodies are not known at this stage. 

Human rights abuses, at all levels

These were not the first mass graves discovered in Libya. In February, two mass graves were discovered in Jakharrah and Al-Kufra with 10 and 93 bodies respectively. Many of these bodies were migrants who are uniquely vulnerable to human trafficking, forced disappearance and killings.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded over 1,000 migrant deaths and disappearances in Libya in 2024 alone.

Mr. Türk expressed concern not only about the bodies discovered recently in Tripoli and the human rights abuses they confirm, but also about the force with which protests were met near the end of last month.

“We have received reports that these protests were themselves met with unnecessary force, raising serious concerns with respect to the guarantee of the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and assembly,” he said.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights also noted that images and videos of the bodies are circulating on social media, prompting him to call for preserving the dignity and privacy of victims.

Seal the sites, preserve the evidence

The Government of National Unity, the internationally-recognized administration based in Tripoli, announced the creation of two committees to investigate human rights abuses committed by State security forces, both in relation to the bodies and the protests.

While Türk noted this, he expressed concern that forensic authorities have not been allowed into the sites to examine and preserve related evidence.

He called on Libyan authorities to seal the recently discovered sites and promote immediate accountability efforts.

“Those responsible for these atrocious acts must be brought to justice without delay, in accordance with international standards,” he said.

Mr. Türk also urged all stakeholders to commit once more to transition attempts in order to move Libya towards an inclusive democracy once and for all, ending the “recurring cycle of transitional agreements.”

“The people of Libya have clearly expressed their demand for truth and justice, and their yearning for a peaceful and safe way of life with human rights and freedoms at the front and centre,” the High Commissioner added.