France withdraws delivery of 6 boats to Libyan coastguards, citing human rights violations
French officials confirmed they had cancelled the delivery after eight NGOs filed a lawsuit against the move, criticising Libya’s treatment of migrants.
Defence Minister Florence Parly had announced in February that France would provide semi-rigid inflatable Sillinger crafts to help Libya’s unity government consolidate its control of the war-torn country.
“This transfer was initially planned to help Libya, but the ministry has decided not to deliver the vessels to this state,” the army ministry wrote on November 26 to the administrative appeals court in Paris.
“The situation in Libya does not permit the offer of these boats,” a ministry source who requested anonymity confirmed to AFP.
The rights groups, which also included Doctors Without Borders, praised the cancellation of an offer they said would have made France “complicit in the crimes committed against migrants and refugees in Libya”.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include ‘Op-Ed’ in the subject line.
- Haftar to fly to the US with family, pretending it’s a Libyan official visit - September 13, 2021
- Haftar hires ex-Clinton aide, ex-Republican leader to lobby Washington for Libya elections’ run - September 09, 2021
- Al-Saadi Gaddafi, late dictator’s son, released from Libyan prison - September 06, 2021