The European Union, in a statement delivered at the International Labour Conference on 5 June 2026, urged Libya to bring its Publications Act No. 76 of 1972 and the Anti-Cybercrime Law of 2022 into conformity with ILO Convention No. 105 on the abolition of forced labour. The EU expressed serious concern over restrictions on fundamental rights and liberties in Libya, particularly freedom of expression, and called on the government to ensure that no prison sentences involving compulsory labour are imposed on persons expressing political opinions without violence.
The statement was delivered on behalf of the EU and its member states by the EU Delegation to the UN in Geneva during the Committee on the Application of Standards at the 114th session of the International Labour Conference. Candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova, as well as Norway and the United Kingdom, aligned themselves with the statement.
The EU noted with interest written information from the Libyan government stating that the Penal Code, the Publications Act, and the Anti-Cybercrime Law are subject to a thorough legal review to remove ambiguities and ensure that no interpretation may result in forced labour for peaceful expression. In the interim, the EU recommended implementing executive orders to protect against forced labour.
The EU and its member states committed to following the situation closely and to supporting efforts aimed at ensuring compliance with international labour standards and the abolition of forced and compulsory labour.
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