The families of captured Sudanese migrants, who have been tortured for ransom, shared video clips that they were sent by the abductors on social media in a desperate bid to raise funds and awareness.
Within days, Libya’s Special Deterrence Forces had raided the city of Sirte and freed eight migrants. Four men were arrested.
In a statement, the Special Deterrence Forces said that they had seen “the horrific images committed by some criminals deprived of humanity in torturing laborers and burning them with fire, videotaping them to send it to their families in an attempt to pressure and blackmail them with ransom in return for their freedoms.”
Images of abuse
The video clips are incredibly disturbing and hard to watch.
In one, at least five Sudanese men lie on the ground and are asked one by one to show their faces and then ask family members by name for ransom money so they can be released.
A second clip shows the men lying down as they are beaten. Again, each man is forced to address family members to beg for money to save their lives. The men have wounds on their backs, which are covered in scars, some likely from a whip heard in the clips.
A third clip shows a naked man in agony as a man drips hot oil and fire onto his back.
The family members posted the images and clips online in an attempt to raise awareness and funds and even tagged CNN in their posts in an attempt to bring further awareness. According to CNN, Sudanese family members told the news organization that the kidnappers had asked as much as $4,500 per hostage.
–What we all can do to stop the Libyan slave trade–
Migrants in Libya face terrible conditions
Many migrants hoping to travel to Europe have gone through Libya, and for years, they have reached Europe only to tell tales of abuse and enslavement.
Recent reports have shown that over 30,000 African migrants are being held in Libya, and many of them are being enslaved. Some are being sold for as little as $400.
Last month, the human rights group Amnesty International accused European countries of being complicit in the torture and abuse of migrants by helping the Libyan coast guard prevent ocean crossings and sending people back to camps in Libya.
As for the EU, it has worked with the International Organization for Migration to help 15,000 people return home after being stuck in Libya. 15,000 are set to be repatriated. The European Commission also said that it has settled 40,000 refugees and plans to take 50,000 more in 2019.