The aim of this report is, first, to describe the environment in which Libyan human rights defenders carry out their activities, as well as the obstacles and dangers they face, and second, to formulate recommendations for their protection.

The report goes on to analyse the emergence of a Libyan civil society and human rights organizations, beginning with the Revolution of 2011 and the fall of the regime.

This bold and promising momentum was brought to a major halt with the conflict that broke out in mid-2014 between several armed groups and the collapse of the State. Institutions proved incapable of protecting anyone, including defenders who were victims of harassment, threats or kidnapping. This report illustrates the desperate situation of defenders today through numerous firsthand accounts demonstrating that exile has once again become just about the only way out for those seeking to voice an opinion on the human rights situation in Libya.