A wanted war criminal. A private jet. A betrayal of justice
From Krysta Bisnauth, Freedom United
| A war criminal walks free, mass graves of migrants are uncovered, and Europe keeps funding Libya’s brutal detention system. Today, on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, we honor those who suffered in the past—and fight for those still trapped in modern slavery today. Last month, graves filled with migrants’ bodies—some bearing gunshot wounds—were discovered in Libya,[1] exposing the horrific violence of Libya’s migration system. Survivors tell of forced labor, torture, and sexual violence in Libya’s notorious detention centers, run with E.U. support. We need urgent funding to fight back—your donation can help stop this. |
| Help us end this abuse |
“The slave trade is alive and thriving in Libya.”—Refugees in Libya [2]
| Instead of dismantling, Europe is actively keeping this system of abuse in place. The EU-funded Libyan Coast Guard intercepts migrant boats and returns people to hellish detention centers. Survivors describe: Forced labor under violent guards. Torture and extortion, with demands for ransoms from families. Systematic sexual violence against women and men. We can’t stop now—your support fuels the fight for justice. |
| Support the movement The Italian government has made me a victim for a second time [of] these atrocities I have witnessed.” —Lam Magok Biel Ruei, survivor [3] |
Last month, Italy helped a wanted war criminal evade justice.
Osama Almasri Najim, accused of overseeing torture, rape, and executions in Libya’s detention centers, was arrested in Italy under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant. But within 48 hours, Italian authorities released him on a technicality—and flew him home on a private jet.
Rather than holding perpetrators accountable, European leaders are empowering them.
As former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi put it:
“When a trafficker whom the ICC tells us is a dangerous criminal lands on your table, you don’t chase him down. Instead, you send him home on a plane belonging to the Italian secret services.”[4]
This is state-backed trafficking—and it must end.
Your donation today will help us fight back. We’re taking on powerful governments that want to keep these abuses hidden—and we need your support to hold them accountable.
Stand with us today
| “This is Europe’s border policy laid bare, outsourcing mass expulsion and death to Libya, where the desert becomes a graveyard… It’s no accident; it’s the design. The EU pays to erase migrants, to make suffering invisible, and to wash its hands while others do its dirty work.” – David Yambio [5] |
| These new mass graves are just the latest evidence that migrants in Libya are being disappeared, tortured, and killed. Last year, another mass grave of 65 migrants was discovered. And these are just the bodies we know about—many more will never be found. Even as these abuses come to light, Europe prioritizes blocking migration over protecting human rights. The longer this agreement lasts, the more it strengthens a system that traps migrants in forced labor and exploitation. This International Day of Remembrance should not just be about looking back. It must be about action. |
Chip in today
We can’t change the past, but we can stop governments from enabling modern slavery today.
In solidarity,
Krysta and the team supporting the Freedom United community.
| Krysta Bisnauth Advocacy Manager, Freedom United |
[1] https://www.freedomunited.org/news/mass-graves-in-libya/
[4] https://www.freedomunited.org/news/italy-releases-libyan-war-crimes-suspect/
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