Eastern Libya executes 10 after military court terror trials spark outrage

Eastern Libya authorities executed 10 people convicted by military courts on terrorism-related charges. The move has intensified concerns over military trials, due process and the death penalty.Image used for representational purposes onlyAuthorities in eastern Libya said 10 people convicted by military courts on terrorism-related charges were executed by firing squad, drawing condemnation from rights groups in the divided North African country.The executions were announced on Sunday by the office of the military prosecutor in eastern Libya, which is overseen by the self-styled Libyan National Army led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter. Rights groups questioned the trials and called for an investigation into the executions and the legal process behind them.In a statement, the military prosecutor's office said the 10 people were executed after years-long trials. It said they had been convicted on charges ranging from joining terrorist groups to the assassination of military personnel and civilians. The office did not give further details on the charges or say when and where the executions took place, but said they were carried out after "all legal procedures" were completed.Local media reported that the executions took place at Qarnada military prison in the north-eastern town of Shahat. They also said the families of those executed were asked to collect the bodies from a hospital in Benghazi. Rights groups condemned the executions and challenged the trials. The National Institution for Human Rights in Libya said the military trial of civilians "raises fundamental questions concerning jurisdiction, judicial independence, and guarantees of a fair trial". The group called on Libya's chief prosecutor and judicial authorities to investigate the executions and all procedures followed during the trials. It also cited a Constitutional Court ruling which said the trial of civilians before military courts for terrorism-related offences and crimes against the state was unconstitutional.International rights groups have repeatedly criticised the detention and at times execution of people after unfair trials in Libya. Amnesty International has said the country retains the death penalty for a wide range of offences, and that courts in both eastern and western Libya continue to hand down death sentences for murder following "grossly unfair trials". The executions come as Libya remains divided between rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments, after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi. The case has once again put the focus on military trials, the use of the death penalty and concerns over due process in the country.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 24, 2026 16:46 IST