Press Release: Ambassador Haley on New UN Sanctions Against Human Traffickers and Smugglers in Libya
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today, the UN Security Council’s Libya Sanctions Committee designated six individuals for their involvement in human trafficking and smuggling of migrants in Libya. These designations are part of a larger international effort to seek accountability for those involved in migrant smuggling and trafficking that threatens the peace, security, or stability of Libya. These are also the first designations of individuals through the Libya Sanctions Committee since 2011 and involved close collaboration between the United States, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany. These sanctions build on U.S. engagement with Libya’s Government of National Accord, which has emphasized its determination to crack down on migrant smuggling and trafficking activities.
“Last fall, images of migrants being sold as slaves in Libya shocked our conscience, and the Security Council vowed to take action. Today’s sanctions send a strong message that the international community is united in seeking accountability for perpetrators of human trafficking and smuggling. There is no place in our world for such abuses of human rights and human dignity,” said Ambassador Haley.
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