Libya is a veritable “information black hole.” Most media outlets and reporters have fled the country. Those who remain try to ensure their safety by working under the protection of one of the warring factions, and foreign journalists can no longer cover the situation. Having taken sides in the conflict, traditional media outlets can no longer play their role of ensuring free, independent and balanced reporting that reflects the real issues facing Libyan society, and the aspirations of young people in particular. The latter turn to social media for open dialogue, but it’s a platform that is conducive to radicalisation and the dissemination of hate speech. Several initiatives aimed at promoting a new, more independent media model have nonetheless emerged.

Despite the 2020 ceasefire, Libya remains deeply divided between Abdel Hamid Dbeibah’s Government of National Unity and Khalifa Haftar’s rival regime. Journalists are often forced to align with the partisanship of the media outlets they work for, leading to mass disinformation. Corruption is also widespread. In the east of the country, journalists are subject to the power of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and cannot criticise the military.

No regulatory body or framework law guarantees access to information, or respect for media pluralism and transparency. No law guarantees freedom of expression, journalists’ safety or the right to reliable information. Some laws currently in force concerning freedom of expression are more than 50 years old. Press offences are punishable by imprisonment. This situation has worsened with the adoption of the Anti-Cybercrime Law No.5-2022, which extends restrictions to the digital sphere and forces journalists to severely self-censor or risk prosecution or arrest.

The financing of privately owned media depends on advertising revenue from groups led by businessmen allied with political leaders. Collusion between politicians and the media and the non-transparency of advertising contracts undermine the independence of the media and journalists. The latter have no job security and can be dismissed arbitrarily at the whim of their employer.

Journalists have for years been the target of intimidation, physical violence, and moral harassment, though the situation seems to have improved since 2021. Such abuses are all the more frequent as they benefit from total impunity. Militias often threaten media professionals, who can be subject to attacks and imprisonment. Both in the east and the west of the country, those who control the authorities have — via their armed factions — managed to sow fear among journalists and eliminate media independence in Libya.