UN panel finds both pro- and anti-Gaddafi forces committed war crimes in Libya

(March 05, 2012) The United Nations-mandated commission of inquiry that probed human rights abuses in Libya reported last week that crimes against humanity and war crimes were committed by both the troops loyal to the former ruler, Muammar Gaddafi, and the forces that fought to oust him. “Acts of murder, enforced disappearance and torture were perpetrated within the context of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population,” according to the summary of the findings of the International Commission of Inquiry on Libya, which comprised Philippe Kirsch, Cherif M. Bassiouni and Asma Khader. “The Commission found additional violations including unlawful killing, individual acts of torture and ill-treatment, attacks on civilians, and rape. The Commission further concluded that anti- Gaddafi forces committed serious violations, including war crimes and breaches of international human rights law. Violations included unlawful killing, arbitrary arrest, torture, enforced disappearance, indiscriminate attacks, and pillage. The panel was established by an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council on 25 February last year and mandated to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in Libya, establish the facts and circumstances of such violations and of the crimes perpetrated.