VZCZCXRO2704
PP RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTRO #0895 3221233
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 171233Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4144
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0809
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0752
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 4666
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 1293
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 0660

UNCLAS TRIPOLI 000895 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/RA, AND G/TIP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIP KCRM KWMN PHUM PGOV SMIG LY
SUBJECT: LIBYA: INTERIM TIP ASSESSMENT 
 
REF: STATE 109257 
 
¶1. (U) Libya has no legal or regulatory framework to separate 
victims of trafficking from the general migrant population and 
undocumented presence in Libya is generally considered a crime. 
In practice, however, the GOL has drawn on other elements of its 
existing criminal code to prosecute traffickers known to have 
withheld travel documents and pay from victims.  Businesses have 
also also compelled to pay for the repatriation of the 
trafficked workers.  Overall enforcement is hampered by the lack 
of criminal statutes specifically criminalizing trafficking and 
stipulating related penalties.  During the year, there were 
reports that the government was circulating a draft of a new 
criminal code, which reportedly includes provisions specifically 
related to TIP, to GOL ministry-equivalents for review; however, 
no drafts have been publicly released and copies have not been 
provided to diplomatic missions. 
 
¶2. (U) During the year, Libya continued the practice of 
supporting training and awareness-building programs for law 
enforcement officials and prosecutors.  Duplicating their effort 
to provide in-kind support for training of law enforcement 
officials, the government has offered support for follow-on 
training of prosecutors and legal professionals.  International 
organizations report that individual officials are receptive and 
eager for new information and training, but that Libya lacks an 
institutional or cultural awareness of trafficking. 
International organizations continue to have access to 
vulnerable migrant populations -- GOL officials allow them 
informal access to victims of trafficking held in detention on a 
case-by-case basis -- and are able to provide some protective 
services to victims of trafficking, although representatives of 
those organizations note that victim identification is not 
systematic.  Continued training is necessary to ensure that both 
effective and systematic identification procedures are developed 
and that protective services can be offered.  The government 
does not provide psychological or legal assistance to victims of 
trafficking, but does allow outside groups to provide targeted 
assistance for migrants - including victims of trafficking - 
held in detention.  Individual Libyan officials have expressed 
interest in receiving more TIP-related training.  The GOL offers 
in-kind contributions to such training programs, although most 
observers agree that it will take some time for the benefits of 
such training to generate broader institutional awareness of TIP 
issues. 
 
GODFREY