Reports of abuse in Triq al Sikka detention centre in Libya – refugees still detained

Human rights lawyer Giulia Tranchina posted a plea on social media to immediately gain access to and evacuate refugees that were severely abused in the Libyan Triq al Sikka detention centre. According to the post, hundreds of Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees were severely beaten by Libyan police. A small group is still being held in the centre and is told that the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will no longer be allowed access to them.

News Highlights: European Parliament condemns al-Bashir in resolution, New refugee proclamation in Ethiopia, Refugees in Libya starve as clashes erupt

In this week’s news highlights: European Parliament condemns al-Bashir in resolution on Sudan protests; Ethiopia ratifies new refugee proclamation; terrorist attack in Kenya; Four commercial checkpoints to open along Ethiopia/Eritrea border; Resilient smuggling networks are still active between Sudan and Eritrea; Eritrea attempts to intimidate BBC; refugees without food and water after clashes in Libya; European Parliament debates asylum and migration policy; Switzerland concludes return agreement with Ethiopia; EU increasingly relying on “informal” migrant returns to Sub-Saharan Africa: report; OECD report about economic chances of migration; and Merkel says EU Turkey deal is dysfunctional. In other news: new report on human trafficking for ransom and protests in Zimbabwe.

Fighting in Libya causes desperate situations for refugees in detention centres

Fighting broke out around the Tripoli area in Libya this week, leaving refugees in desperate situations. After a militia group failed to withdraw from the Qasr Bin Gashir area south of Tripoli, the protection force of the UN-backed government attacked. Other clashes in the area threatened the unstable ceasefire as well. Reports from the Bin Gashir detention centre, run by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), state that the refugees have been without food and water for two days.