TRIPOLI: A European Union drone is helping Libyan forces intercept boats carrying migrants in the Mediterranean, who are then "hauled back to arbitrary detention and abuse", Human Rights Watch said on Monday. "Frontex claims the surveillance is to aid rescue, but the information facilitates interceptions and returns to Libya ... (despite) overwhelming evidence of torture and exploitation of migrants and refugees in Libya," HRW said in a statement. HRW said Frontex’s drone appeared to have helped Libyan forces intercept a boat in international waters, without informing nearby rescuers. It said it was investigating how "the shift from sea to air surveillance contributes to the cycle of extreme abuse in Libya". The HRW report comes days after media reports that Frontex routinely covered up illegal "pushbacks" of migrants by the Greek coastguard.

Source: Libya Today August 02, 2022 01:10 UTC