"Cannibalism&Butchery"-Libya

Independent Films, Politics

United Nations (UN) human rights investigators today denied that they had heard any reports of cannibalism following claims by Libya to the Human Rights Council that Libyan rebels had been involved in cannibalism.

This morning, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva had been debating a report on alleged human rights violations in Libya. The abuses include murder, torture, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians allegedly committed by pro-Gaddafi forces, as well as serious violations by rebel forces.

Libyan diplomat Mustafa Shaban told members of the Human Rights Council that his government was "the victim of a widespread aggression" and blamed the media, opposition and foreign mercenaries for human rights abuses, including "acts of cannibalism".

Later at a press conference, Cherif Bassiouni, Chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate alleged violations of international law in Libyan Arab Jamahiriya told reporters that “the idea of people being taken to morgues and butcher shops and being cut to pieces, we’ve never heard of such a thing.” He called for continuing investigations to allow the team to verify allegations on the use of mercenaries, child soldiers and sexual violence, including rape.

Concerning allegations on the use of contraceptives and Viagra pills from both the opposition and Libyan government sides, Bassiouni said he communicated to both “and I said what it is, at least my interpretation of it is, when the information spread out and the society felt so vulnerable it created a massive hysteria.”

Directors:

• Muhamed Sacirbey (UNTV)

Producers:

• Susan Sacirbey (UNTV)