2,638,947 people
Source: Tyranny Tracker
HRF classifies the GNS/LAF Controlled Territory of Libya as ruled by a fully authoritarian governing authority.
The overthrow of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year authoritarian rule in 2011 marked a turning point in Libyan history. However, the ensuing years have seen continued political upheaval, civil conflict, and the partition of Libya into two zones of control. In 2012, the National Transitional Council (NTC) was established as an interim governing body during Libya’s post-Gaddafi transition, overseeing the organization of the country’s first parliamentary and presidential elections. These elections resulted in the creation of the General National Congress (GNC), which served as the interim legislative authority. In 2014, Libya held another election, which led to the formation of a new legislative body, the House of Representatives (HoR). However, Islamist armed groups connected with the GNC rejected the election results and called for the GNC’s restoration by applying pressure on the Libyan Supreme Court (LSC), which effectively dissolved the HoR in favor of reinstating the GNC. As a result, members of the HoR were forced to flee Tripoli and relocate to Tobruk in eastern Libya, under the control of the Libyan Armed Forces (LAF), a coalition of armed groups loyal to and commanded by General Khalifa Haftar, which functions as the primary military opposition to the forces of the internationally recognized government based in Tripoli.
This effectively partitioned Libya into two separate areas of control. There, they continued to operate as a separate legislative body backed by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar until they established the Government of National Stability (GNS) in 2022. In the west, the GNC formed the Government of National Accord (GNA), and in the east, the HoR, backed by the LAF under Haftar, formed the Government of National Stability (GNS). Following a 14-month military effort to seize Tripoli in 2019, the GNA and the HoR/LAF agreed to a ceasefire in March 2021, monitored by the United Nations (UN). The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) facilitated bilateral negotiations in Geneva, culminating in the appointment of Abdul Hamid Dbeibah as the head of the new Government of National Unity (GNU), replacing the GNA, with the mandate to lead the country toward national elections. Nonetheless, by 2025, Libya remained in a state of ongoing political instability. The absence of a strong central authority has empowered numerous organized armed groups (OAGs), including various tribal factions, many of whom have pledged allegiance to different factions, further complicating efforts toward national reconciliation and stability.
Between 2014 and 2025, national elections were absent due to nonalignment between key stakeholders in Libya, rendering moot any assessment of electoral competition. Without national elections to establish its legitimacy, the GNS/LAF continues to operate as an unelected de facto authority in eastern Libya.
In eastern Libya, independent media, political figures, civil society organizations, and ordinary citizens frequently face overt and systematic retaliation when they openly criticize or question the GNS/LAF. This pattern of repression reflects a broader environment of political intolerance and control aimed at silencing dissent and consolidating authority within the region. GNS/LAF-aligned security forces and OAGs target media personnel to suppress investigative reporting, especially on issues such as corruption, human rights abuses, or governance failures. Civil society organizations (CSOs) that advocate for transparency, human rights, or political reform also face intimidation, legal restrictions, and sometimes physical attacks, aiming to deter activism and independent oversight. Political figures or activists who oppose or challenge the governing authority’s policies risk arrest and physical harm. The GNS/LAF employs a range of coercive tactics, including legal prosecutions on politically motivated charges, surveillance, and intimidation campaigns, to weaken opposition voices and maintain a monolithic political environment.
Institutions largely fail to check the governing authority. They lack the independence, capacity, and authority necessary to oversee or challenge the actions of powerful OAGs and political factions. The judiciary, for example, is often compromised by political influence or intimidation, limiting its ability to prosecute abuses or challenge illegal activities by the LAF or other OAGs. Legislative bodies such as the HoR lack the capacity or political will to scrutinize or regulate the actions of armed groups or the executive branch. The absence of robust oversight mechanisms enables these actors to operate with relative impunity.
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