BENGHAZI – 21 December – Over one hundred military police, judges and prosecutors have taken part in a three-month programme in Benghazi organized by UNSMIL’s Human Rights, Transitional Justice and Rule of Law Section and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The aim of the trainings was to build capacity of, and provide technical support to, the military police, judges and prosecutors to improve human rights protections in Libya.  The series of workshops began in September and was concluded yesterday in cooperation with the General Command of the Libyan National Army.

“The training sessions played a crucial role in enhancing the capacity of the military police, judges, and prosecutors in Libya to uphold and protect human rights,” said Khaled Ismail, Senior Rule of Law Officer in UNSMIL. “By focusing on practical skills and technical knowledge, the workshops equipped participants with the tools to align their practices with international human rights standards. These efforts are expected to contribute to long-term institutional reforms and improved human rights protections.”

Over the seven seminars 106 participants were trained including 65 judges and military prosecutors, 37 officers of the military police responsible for managing all military prisons, and four members of the Public Prosecution Service.

The program focused on enhancing the participants’ knowledge and skills in critical areas:

• international standards on human rights and criminal justice;
• the guarantees of fair trial processes;
• mechanisms and best practices of transitional justice;
• the priorities for achieving national reconciliation;
• the UN Minimum Standards for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Mandela Rules);
• the UN Bangkok Rules on the treatment of women offenders and prisoners; and
• alternatives to detention.

“National authorities played an essential role in the success of the program, providing full cooperation and support throughout the seven seminars,” said Ismail. “This initiative reflects the Mission and OHCHR's commitment to promoting human rights, strengthening the rule of law, and supporting transitional justice efforts in Libya,” he added.

By equipping participants with essential knowledge and tools, the training program has laid a foundation for improving justice sector practices and advancing the rule of law in the region.

Given the prevailing context in Libya, these training programmes represent a positive step toward ensuring the respect and protection of human rights within the military police and judiciary in eastern Libya. On that basis, UNSMIL’s Human Rights, Transitional Justice and Rule of Law Section and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have agreed with the eastern authorities to expand the program within 2025 to include other institutions with the law enforcement authorities.