Libya steps up migrant deportations amid rights concerns

Libya’s crackdown on migrants shows no sign of slowing down; the issue remains of crucial importance for one of Tripoli’s key international partners: Italy.

Libyan authorities have deported 176 irregular migrants through Benina International Airport as part of ongoing efforts to address illegal migration, according to Libya Observer on April 1st.

Abdulmoneim Al-Qamati, Director of the Security Media Office at the Anti-Illegal Immigration Agency, stated that the operation included 175 Bangladeshi nationals.

Of these, 113 were transferred from the agency’s administration in Tripoli, while 62 were deported from the Benghazi shelter and deportation centre in coordination with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Days earlier, as reported by Libya Review on March 29th, Libya’s Illegal Migration Control Department had announced a comprehensive plan to manage deportation cases, aiming to streamline procedures and address long-standing challenges related to irregular migration.

Deportations are becoming increasingly frequent and involve hundreds of individuals. According to the Qatar News Agency on February 9th, Libyan authorities had already deported 140 irregular migrants to their countries of origin as part of broader efforts to enhance public security and safeguard public health.

Concerns over the conditions in which migrants are detained have been repeatedly raised. On November 11th, 2025, the UN Human Rights Council expressed alarm over detention practices in Libya.

In October 2025, the NGO Refugees in Libya denounced the widespread use of arbitrary detention, describing abhorrent conditions and a pervasive culture of abuse.

Several international human rights organisations also sent a letter to Libyan authorities, accusing armed groups of operating detention centres with total impunity and obstructing judicial processes.

This strong focus on migration control is likely welcomed by Italy; during a visit to Libya in February, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi stressed the depth of Libyan-Italian relations.

Italian officials reiterated that managing demographic pressures and controlling migration flows remain essential conditions for advancing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries.

Libya Observer and agencies, Libya Review and agencies, Qatar News Agency and agencies, Maghrebi.org