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On January 10th, 2022 more than 600 asylum seekers were violently arrested in front of a UNHCR centre, and detained in a detention centre in Tripoli, Libya. This follows months of camping on this site in makeshift tents, which were all burned down during the raid.

A TIMELINE OF EVENTS

October 1st, 2021: More than 5000 migrants and refugees, including pregnant women and children, were arrested and detained by authorities during a mass raid in the Gargarish area of Tripoli.

Days later: around 2000 migrants  fled  from a detention centre. Armed groups responded violently, resulting in the shooting deaths of six migrants and the injuries of 24 others.

October-December 2021: Raids continued across the city, leaving thousands of migrants and refugees homeless, including women and unaccompanied children. People and families with no housing camped in front of a UNHCR building in Tripoli for more than 90 days, and were met with repeated violent attacks throughout this period. 

December 2021: The UNHCR Community Day Centre was permanently closed due to UNHCR activities being suspended, with more than 2000 protesters demonstrating in front of UNHCR buildings. 

How Did This Happen?

According to UNHCR, available housing options are limited due to some landlords’ reluctance to rent to non-Libyans, and an increase in rental prices after the raids. Further, UNHCR is currently unable to provide alternative housing options in Libya, due to limited operational capacity in the country because of security issues, and lack of agreement with the government, as well as visas for staff.

In this critical time, IDC urges government, civil society and other stakeholders to work together urgently and identify Alternatives to Detention (ATD) for all migrants and refugees in Libya. The implementation of community centred ATD and access to accommodation and services in the community will prevent violence and harm like this from occurring again. It is essential to guarantee the right to liberty and freedom of movement to all migrants and refugees, regardless of immigration status. #ThereAreAlternatives.

Find out more here: https://idcoalition.org/publication/there-are-alternatives-revised-edition/

 

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