The United States imposed sanctions on a Libyan official over the alleged abuse and torture of migrants in a detention centre, the Department of Treasury says in a published statement.
According to the statement, the US government sanctioned Osama Al-Kuni, who is the de facto head of a detention centre in the west of the North African nation.
Migrants there are said to have been subjected to torture, sexual and gender-based violence and human trafficking.
“In view of sanctions imposed by the United Nations, the Treasury is taking this action to promote accountability and expose the illicit activities of those abusing and exploiting migrants transiting Libya in pursuit of a better and more secure life,” said the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, Andrea M. Gacki.
An asset and travel ban was imposed on Al-Kuni by the UN Security Council’s Libya Sanctions Committee.
READ: The Libya Stabilisation Conference was all talk and little substance