8/20/2025 Libya (International Christian Concern) — Amnesty International recently called for the convictions of 11 Christians convicted in Libya to be overturned, citing “grossly unfair” trials.

The human rights organization said the trials of the nine Libyan men, a Libyan woman, and a Pakistani man were “marred by egregious violations of due process and international human rights standards.” The 11 believers, who were charged with “insulting religious sanctities and rituals using the internet,” “calling for the establishment of a banned group,” and “promoting the change of the fundamental principles of the constitution,” were sentenced on April 15 to three to 15 years in prison.

Between March and August 2023, Internal Security Agency (ISA) members arrested the Christians without arrest warrants issued in their names, alleging they belonged to a group promoting Christianity.

“Throughout the sessions of the trial, which started in September 2024, judges never examined witnesses or evidence against the defendants,” Amnesty stated in a press release. “They also never questioned any members of the ISA, whose investigations were the only basis for the criminal investigations into the defendants. The hearings were limited to judges confirming the presence of the defendants and their lawyers requesting their release pending trial. However, the judges consistently ordered the continued detention of the defendants, without providing any justification, and adjourned the hearings.”

Amnesty International called on the public prosecutor to immediately review all cases of people detained for criminal prosecutions based only on ISA investigations.

“He must open prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, transparent, and effective investigations into the allegations of human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearance, and arbitrary detention against all suspected ISA members,” the statement said. “Libyan authorities should immediately quash the convictions and sentences of those imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights.”

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