This archive report was first published on 11 July 2019.
On July 11, 2019, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, and the International Organization for Migration director, Antonio Vitorino, issued a joint statement calling for the release of 5,600 refugees and migrants held in detention centers across Libya.
They urged that these individuals be freed in an orderly manner and their protection guaranteed, or evacuated to other countries where accelerated resettlement is needed.
The statement came after a devastating airstrike on the Tajoura detention center in eastern Tripoli on July 3, which killed over 50 refugees and migrants.
Grandi and Vitorino emphasized the need for countries to provide more evacuation and resettlement places, as well as resources to allow migrants who wish to return home to do so safely.
According to UN figures, approximately 50,000 refugees and asylum seekers live in Libya, alongside 800,000 migrants.
The statement also highlighted the importance of protecting migrant rescue ships operated by non-governmental organizations, which must not be penalized for saving lives at sea.
