Libyan court jails four human traffickers for up to 22 years, attorney general says
A Libyan court has sentenced four members of a criminal gang to prison terms of up to 22 years for human trafficking, abductions for ransom, and torture, according to the attorney general's office. The defendants were convicted in absentia for crimes including smuggling migrants from Zuwara and extorting families using videos of torture. Libya has become a key transit point for migrants heading to Europe since the 2011 fall of Gaddafi, with frequent reports of abuse and deadly sea crossings. Recent incidents include the recovery of 17 migrant bodies near Zuwara and a capsized boat off Tobruk that killed 38 migrants.
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Libyan court jails four human traffickers for up to 22 years, attorney general saysSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxPublished Apr 29, 2026, 06:43 AMUpdated Apr 29, 2026, 06:43 AMTRIPOLI, April 28 - Libya's Tripoli Criminal Court on Tuesday convicted four members of "a criminal gang" involved in human trafficking, abductions for ransom and torture, with sentences up to 22 years, the attorney general's office said on its Facebook page.The attorney general's office did not disclose the names of the four defendants, who were sentenced in absentia to between 12 and 22 years in prison.Libya has become a transit route for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty to Europe via dangerous routes across the desert and over the Mediterranean since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi…
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