LIBYA COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service 19 December 2012 LIBYA 19 DECEMBER 2012 Contents Preface Reports on Libya published between 5 and 19 December 2012 Useful news sources for further information Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 1.01 Map ........................................................................................................................ 1.06 Geographic and tribal issues .............................................................................. 1.09 The east ................................................................................................................. 1.11 Islamism ............................................................................................................. 1.11 State policy (under Gaddafi) towards the east ................................................... 1.12 Transport ............................................................................................................... 1.13 Roads ................................................................................................................. 1.13 Railways ............................................................................................................. 1.14 International airports ........................................................................................... 1.15 2. ECONOMY ................................................................................................................ 2.01 Inflation ................................................................................................................. 2.06 Currency and exchange rates ............................................................................. 2.07 3. HISTORY .................................................................................................................. 3.01 Early History to 1911 ............................................................................................ 3.01 Italian occupation ................................................................................................ 3.02 Second World War ................................................................................................ 3.03 1949 under King Idris until the military coup of September 1969 .................... 3.06 1 September 1969 - 2011 Libya under Colonel Muammar al Qadhafi [aka Gaddafi] ................................................................................................................. 3.07 The Green Book ................................................................................................. 3.10 The Men of the Tent ........................................................................................... 3.11 The 1996 Abu Salim Prison Massacre ............................................................... 3.12 The rise to prominence of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi ................................................ 3.15 Anti-Gaddafi uprising ........................................................................................... 3.16 Rebel fighters ..................................................................................................... 3.20 UN resolution 1973 (2011) ................................................................................. 3.21 NATO military intervention ................................................................................. 3.22 War crimes ......................................................................................................... 3.25 Death of Gaddafi and end of conflict .................................................................. 3.32 Capture of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and his forthcoming trial ................................. 3.35 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS (JULY- DECEMBER 2012) ..................................................... 4.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 4.01 July 2012 election ................................................................................................. 4.02 National Congress‟s election of prime minister and government ministers ... 4.06 Outbreaks of violence .......................................................................................... 4.09 Attack on US Consulate, Benghazi .................................................................... 4.10 Fighting in Bani Walid ......................................................................................... 4.12 5. CONSTITUTION .......................................................................................................... 5.01 ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 5 December 2012. 19 DECEMBER 2012 LIBYA 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM ................................................................................................... 6.01 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 7.01 8. SECURITY FORCES .................................................................................................... 8.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 8.01 Police ..................................................................................................................... 8.05 Armed forces ........................................................................................................ 8.08 Agency for Border Security and Strategic Installations....................................... 8.13 Human rights violations by the security forces ................................................ 8.16 Arbitrary arrest and detention ............................................................................. 8.16 Torture ................................................................................................................ 8.17 Human rights abuses committed by both sides during the uprising .............. 8.20 9. MILITARY SERVICE .................................................................................................... 9.01 Conscription ........................................................................................................ 9.01 During the 2011 uprising .................................................................................... 9.05 Conscientious objection ...................................................................................... 9.09 10. NON-GOVERNMENT ARMED FORCES ........................................................................... 10.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 10.01 Militia groups ........................................................................................................ 10.04 Libyan Shield Forces (LSF) ................................................................................ 10.07 Arbitrary arrest and detention ............................................................................. 10.08 Proliferation of arms and related material .......................................................... 10.14 11. JUDICIARY ................................................................................................................ 11.01 Before the 2011 uprising ...................................................................................... 11.01 Organisation ....................................................................................................... 11.02 Penal Code ........................................................................................................ 11.03 Since the 2011 uprising ....................................................................................... 11.04 Overview ............................................................................................................ 11.04 Organisation ....................................................................................................... 11.13 Independence and fair trial ................................................................................. 11.14 Prosecution .................................................................................................... 11.15 Defence .......................................................................................................... 11.16 Acts 35, 37 and 38 ......................................................................................... 11.17 12. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS .................................................................. 12.01 13. PRISON CONDITIONS ................................................................................................. 13.01 14. DEATH PENALTY ....................................................................................................... 14.01 15. POLITICAL AFFILIATION ............................................................................................. 15.01 Freedom of political expression, association and assembly ........................... 15.01 Political parties ..................................................................................................... 15.05 16. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA ............................................................................... 16.01 Overview ..............................................................................................................