Amnesty International says it has evidence that thousands of suspected Moammar Gadhafi loyalists in Libya have been jailed, tortured, and otherwise mistreated since the National Transitional Council (NTC) took over, according to the
BBC.
Amnesty’s report, for which 300 detainees in 11 facilities were interviewed, claims that torture tools were discovered in one prison, and whip cracks and screams were overheard in another. The report says guards have admitted to torturing prisoners to exact confessions.
“We understand that the transitional authorities are facing many challenges, but if they do not make a clear break with the past now, they will effectively be sending out a message that treating detainees like this is to be tolerated in the new Libya,” Amnesty International said.
An NTC representative insisted, in comments to Reuters, that the group’s chairman, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, is concerned about how prisoners are treated and that any purported abuses will not be ignored.
“[He] has said time and time again that he will not tolerate abuse of prisoners and has made it abundantly clear that he will investigate any such allegations,” the representative said.
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