Monitoring and advisory mechanism to deal crimes committed by the Libyan coastguard

Subject: Monitoring and advisory mechanism to deal crimes committed by the Libyan coastguard

As part of the EUNAVFOR MED Operation SOPHIA – a military operation – the EU has set up a monitoring and advisory mechanism to deal with human rights abuses and crimes committed by the Libyan coastguard. Italy’s armed forces are monitoring Libyan ships by means of ‘Predator’ drones. The Commission has provided the Libyan coastguard with GoPro cameras to monitor its own infringements.

1. What human rights violations, criminal offences or infringements of other international standards by the Libyan Coast Guard have been addressed by the Monitoring and Advisory Mechanism since its inception?

2. Which of these cases were observed by the EUNAVFOR MED operation SOPHIA and which were reported by the Libyan Coast Guard itself?

3. Which of these cases were observed/documented by manned or unmanned aircraft of the EU Member States or by the GoPro cameras?

Answer given by Vice-President Mogherini on behalf of the European Commission (6 November 2018)

The Council of the European Union amended Operation Sophia's mandate on 25 July 2017 and authorised it to set up a mechanism to monitor personnel who have benefited from the training programmes for the Libyan Coast Guard. Implementing procedures are defined in the Operation's planning documents.

This monitoring mechanism assesses the Libyan Navy and Coastguard's ability to perform their mission through information collection, remote monitoring at sea in international waters, and periodic meetings between the Libyan Navy and Coastguard and Operation Sophia personnel. The respect of human rights is an essential parameter in this process.

The monitoring mechanism however does not entail operational direction or assistance to the Libyan Coastguard by Operation Sophia, as Operation Sophia personnel is not embedded on board of the Libyan Coast guard assets.

An initial report on the monitoring of the Libyan Coast Guard and Navy was discussed in the Political and Security Committee on 20 March 2018. The report notes that the Libyan Coast Guard's capacity is progressing, but also highlights that effective monitoring would benefit from the presence of Operation Sophia's personnel in the Libyan Navy Coast Guard's operation centres ashore. Planning for enhanced monitoring ashore continues and is supported by Member States. Activities already authorised by the operation's mandate to Tripoli to monitor the Libyan Navy coastguard will gradually resume as security returns to normal.