Russia Calls for Libya Case to Be Withdrawn from ICC

Russia has called on the United Nations to withdraw the case concerning the suppression of protests in Libya in 2011 — the "Libya dossier" — from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and transfer it to local judicial authorities due to the current ineffectiveness of the proceedings, said Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation Maria Zabolotskaya during a UN Security Council meeting.

She noted that the proceedings regarding the 2011 events were referred to the ICC in connection with the suppression of protests by official Libyan authorities, but the main suspects — Muammar Gaddafi and his son Saif al-Islam — were killed before arrest, while the sole remaining suspect has no direct connection to the official charges. Moreover, after the deaths of Gaddafi and his son, the case was not closed due to the absence of suspects but was refocused toward investigating crimes in prisons, Zabolotskaya recalled.

"Despite appeals from civil society to the [ICC], it is not investigating the activities of European military and political leaders who first created the migration crisis by destroying Libyan statehood, and then distinguished themselves by a whole range of atrocities against migrants, including preventing ships with people in distress from entering their ports," the diplomat emphasized.

She also noted that ICC intervention in civil wars around the world often leads to prolonged conflicts and the cessation of peace negotiations.

In this regard, the deputy permanent representative stated that stabilization in Libya can be achieved through the development of local authorities without external interference, and called for the proceedings against the country's authorities to be terminated.

"As we have repeatedly emphasized, sustainable settlement in Libya is only possible through strengthening national institutions, not through externally imposed structures. ... We call on the Security Council to acknowledge that the ICC's activities in Libya have been unsuccessful and to withdraw the 'Libya dossier' from the ICC, leaving law enforcement activities to the Libyan authorities with the support of relevant UN structures," Zabolotskaya added.

In 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for six members of a Libyan paramilitary group accused of serious crimes.