Executions reported in eastern Libya

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on October 14, 2026, that at least 31 people had been executed by military authorities in eastern Libya since the end of August. This is the first confirmed execution in the country since 2010, according to the NGO.

Military forces accused of executions

HRW accused the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, of carrying out the executions. The sentences were given following secret military trials that have been criticized for alleged torture and lack of due process.

Secret trials and lack of transparency

Human rights groups have condemned the closed military trials, alleged confessions obtained through torture, and convictions made without proper judicial guarantees. Several victims were arrested in Benghazi and Derna during clashes between 2014 and 2018.

Families denied information

According to Amnesty International, some families have not been informed about the executions and have not been able to recover the bodies of their loved ones. This adds to the distress of families already affected by years of conflict in the region.

Ongoing political division

These allegations come amid continued political instability in Libya, which has been divided since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The country remains split between two rival authorities, one based in Tripoli and the other in eastern Libya.