Libya Introduces Morality Police to Enforce 'Traditions'

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Facts

  • Libya's UN-backed Government of National Unity (GNU) has announced the reinstatement of morality police to enforce modesty and traditions to reverse the alleged influence of imported European fashion and trends.[1][2]
  • The GNU interior minister, Emad al-Tarabulsi, said that patrols — set to start next month — will target certain haircuts, prevent gender mixing in public spaces, and ensure that women and girls starting from age nine wear head coverings.[2][3]
  • He further added that morality police will be empowered to shut down non-compliant hookah lounges and barbershops and that women must have a male guardian — or mahram — for some trips.[1][3][4]
  • These plans were first proposed last week as Tarabulsi spoke at a press conference to discuss smuggling, with reported discussions between him and Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah taking place afterward.[3][4]
  • Militias have imposed moral codes in the aftermath of the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Earlier this year, the GNU set up the "Guardians of Virtue" to protect Islamic values.[2][3]
  • The GNU has yet to assert its authority in all of Tripoli and beyond the capital, so new restrictions are likely to apply to some neighborhoods only. A rival administration based in Benghazi runs Eastern Libya.[1][2]

Sources: [1]The Telegraph, [2]Middle East Eye, [3]The National and [4]Libya Security Monitor.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Amnesty International. Libya's proposed morality police threaten citizens' fundamental freedoms, especially targeting women's autonomy and equality. Steps such as compulsory veiling of young girls, enforcing male guardianship for travel, and policing personal choices dangerously intensify restrictions on freedom of expression, privacy, and self-determination.
  • Narrative B, as provided by S2J News. Libya aims to safeguard traditional values, focusing on curbing Western influences, social media trends, and behaviors seen as threats to cultural identity. Many citizens support the planned measures to defend against globalization, reinforce social standards, and strengthen Libya's cultural identity amid societal shifts.