Rabat – The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet (OHCHR) appointed on Wednesday former Minister of Justice Mohamed Aujjar as chair of the Libya Independent Inquiry Mission.
The Human Rights Council created the mission on June 22. Its task is to document allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law by all parties in Libya since 2016.
Aujjar is a former diplomat and was the minister of justice starting in 2017.
The official left his position in October 2019 after a government reshuffle.
Bachelet warned of the deterioration of the security situation in Libya in the absence of a “functioning judiciary system.” The UN official also stressed the importance of the work of the team of independent experts to document the abuses and human rights violations in the region.
“This expert body will serve as an essential mechanism to effectively combat widespread impunity for human rights violations and abuses committed, and can also serve as a deterrent to prevent further violations and contribute to peace and stability in the country,” Bachelet said in a statement.
The official said that several crimes are continuing to occur amid the crisis in Libya, including torture; ill-treatment; gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence; kidnappings; and forced disappearances.
Incitement to violence on social media is also part of the issues ongoing in Libya, she said.
As chair of the Libya Independent Inquiry Mission, Mohamed Aujjar will work to curb human rights violations in the country and promote stability.
Morocco’s stance on the Libya crisis
The government of Morocco has been following the Libya crisis closely, warning against international military interference in the country.
Morocco continues to reaffirm its commitment to a Libyan-Libyan political solution to end the crisis. The North African country has also been listing the negative impacts international intervention could bring against the legitimate rights of the Libyan people and the country’s sovereignty.
A high-level delegation from Libya arrived in Morocco on July 26 for consultation on the crisis.
The Skhirat Agreement was included in the list of discussions.
Both Libyan and Moroccan officials agreed on the need to update the agreement, emphasizing that all initiatives to resolve the crisis do not contradict the deal.
Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita said that the agreement was a “Libyan product” and Libyans can “adapt [the agreement] to the transitional state and ensure the security and stability of that country.”
He also reaffirmed the country’s commitment to peace and stability in the region, reiterating that Morocco has no agenda in Libya.
