Benghazi, New York: Europe and the Arabs
A number of United Nations human rights experts stressed the need for the Libyan National Army to immediately stop the forced eviction of residents and the demolition of homes in the city center of Benghazi. According to what was stated in the daily news bulletin of the United Nations, of which we received a copy this morning, Tuesday.

The independent experts also stressed the need for the Libyan army to end reprisals and violence against demonstrators protesting these evictions.

The experts said in a press release: “Since March of this year, more than 20,000 residents of Benghazi have been forced to evacuate their homes in a very short time by members of the Tariq bin Ziyad Brigade and the 20/20 Brigade, and they have also been forced to give up their property.” or their ownership documents.

"Deliberate demolitions, including of historic neighbourhoods, protected heritage sites and many housing units, have already caused irreparable damage to the urban architecture and living heritage of the city and affected the residents' way of life," the experts stated.

  According to reports, there is no compensation scheme in place and the authorities have not provided the evicted residents with any assistance in securing new homes of the same value. Instead, the experts said, "residents who opposed or protested against the evacuation plans were pressured into compliance or silence, including through power cuts, harassment and violence."

The experts also expressed deep concern about the reported prevention and dispersal of demonstrations and the arbitrary arrest and detention of some human rights defenders and residents who expressed their opposition to the eviction plans.

They added, "The destruction is spreading in a way that is very worrying, and has already deprived the population and all Libyans as well as humanity, and the whole world, of important archaeological and religious sites and buildings that testify to the long and continuous history of human presence in this city."

Experts warned of a lack of transparency and accountability regarding the ongoing demolitions.

  The experts are: the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to a standard of living Decent, as well as the right to non-discrimination in this context, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of displaced persons.

It is noteworthy that the special rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Human Rights Council in Geneva, which is an intergovernmental body responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. Rapporteurs and experts are charged with studying human rights situations and submitting reports on them to the Human Rights Council. It should be noted that this position is ceremonial, and these experts are not considered employees of the United Nations and do not receive remuneration for their work.