Latest news with #LCW
Libya Review
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Rights Group Warns of Alarming Human Rights Violations Across Libya in July
A new report by the Libyan Crimes Watch Organization (LCW) reveals a disturbing rise in grave human rights abuses across Libya during July, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and systematic efforts to disrupt the electoral process. The organization holds both official security agencies and armed groups responsible for the ongoing violations, accusing Libyan authorities of failing to protect civilians or hold perpetrators accountable. The report documented the death of activist Abdelmonem Rajab Al-Marimi, 51, who died at Al-Khalil Hospital in Tripoli after falling from the third floor of the Attorney General's office. He had been arbitrarily detained a day earlier in Surman by plainclothes officers affiliated with the Internal Security Agency. LCW described the circumstances surrounding his death as deeply suspicious and called for an independent investigation. The report also highlighted the kidnapping of two protesters, Ayman Zamit and Mohammed Aoun, who were abducted on July 7 by unidentified armed men in Tripoli. The two were targeted for participating in demonstrations demanding political change and were later released under threats to cease all activism. On July 21, a municipal council candidate in Al-Aziziya was attacked by gunmen who opened fire on his car. The same candidate had previously received threats in an attempt to force his withdrawal from the race. LCW recorded at least 10 coordinated attacks on voter card distribution centers between June 28 and July 6, carried out by armed elements believed to be linked to the Libyan Arab Armed Forces. These attacks took place in cities such as Benghazi, Sabha, Sirte, and Tobruk, disrupting the electoral process in those areas. The report also noted the recovery of 31 bodies of migrants, many of them Egyptians, along Libyan shores following multiple shipwrecks. The organization condemned the Libyan state's failure to protect migrants or provide safe pathways. LCW holds multiple actors responsible, including the Internal Security Agency, the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, the General Prosecutor's Office, the GNU, and the 55th Brigade. It urged the UN, ICC, and international stakeholders to increase pressure on Libyan authorities and resume criminal investigations to end the growing culture of impunity. Tags: ElectionHuman Rightslibyasecuritytorture
Libya Review
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Libya Crimes Watch Demands Libya Hand Over Osama Najim to ICC
Libya Crimes Watch (LCW) has strongly criticised the Libyan authorities for their continued failure to implement arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), particularly in the case of Osama Najim, the former director of Mitiga Prison, who is wanted for crimes against humanity. In a statement issued on 16 July, the human rights organisation voiced 'profound concern' over what it described as a lack of political will to cooperate with international justice mechanisms. LCW warned that the Libyan judiciary remains subject to political interference, hindering any serious effort to hold perpetrators of grave violations accountable. Osama Najim is the subject of an ICC arrest warrant issued in January 2025. He is accused of overseeing a range of severe human rights abuses at Mitiga Prison, including torture, rape, unlawful detention, and other crimes committed between 2015 and 2023. Despite the ICC's public warrant and mounting international calls, the Libyan government has not acted to arrest or surrender him. LCW has called on Libyan authorities to fulfil their obligations under international law and immediately surrender Najim and others wanted by the ICC. The group also urged State Parties to the Rome Statute to increase pressure on Libya through both legal and diplomatic channels to enforce the Court's decisions. In addition, LCW called on the ICC to reconsider its application of the 'principle of complementarity', arguing that Libya's national judiciary has proven incapable of delivering independent or effective justice in such cases. The group concluded that continued impunity for figures like Najim undermines prospects for justice, accountability, and long-term stability in Libya. Tags: iccLCWlibyaOsama NajimWar Crimes
South Wales Guardian
09-07-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Welfare reforms risk leaving stain on Labour, MP warns
Rachael Maskell said pressing ahead with the welfare reform Bill risked leaving 'such a stain' on her party, as she urged ministers to scrap a proposed change to the out-of-work element of universal credit. Ministers have proposed increasing the universal credit standard allowance at least in line with inflation until 2029/30. But the Government has proposed freezing the 'limited capability for work' (LCW) part of the benefit until 2030, and new claimants who sign up for the 'limited capability for work and work-related activity' payment will receive a lower rate than existing claimants after April 2026, unless they meet a set of severe conditions criteria or are terminally ill. Commons Work and Pensions Committee chairwoman Debbie Abrahams urged the Government to push back its reforms until November 2026. 'This is to allow for the NHS capacity to ramp up and to ensure funding follows health need, so that people with newly required conditions or impairments can receive early treatment and a better aligned labour market that will enable them to return to work quickly,' the Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth told the Commons. 'Without this, there is the risk that 45,000 more newly disabled people and their children will be pushed into poverty.' Ms Abrahams described her pitch as a 'reasonable compromise', costing £141 million in lost savings. Ms Maskell tried to block the Bill's progression at second reading last week using a reasoned amendment, which failed by 149 votes to 328, majority 179. Around 90 minutes before that vote, social security minister Sir Stephen Timms promised in an intervention to halt a proposed reform to the separate personal independence payment (Pip) benefit, with any changes now only coming in after a review. 'The cart before the horse, the vote before the review, and this omnishambles of a Bill, these people with fluctuating conditions not knowing where they stand, and for that, nor where any of us stand by the end of today,' Ms Maskell said on Wednesday. The York Central MP had earlier said: 'No matter what spin, to pass the Bill tonight, this will leave such a stain on our great party, founded on values of equality and justice.' She urged MPs to gut the Bill of plans to roll out a lower rate of out-of-work benefit for new claimants from 2026 and freeze the LCW component. 'Their contention is my contention – sick and disabled people have not been consulted,' Ms Maskell added. I voted against the UC&PIP Bill. It's now due back for next stage in Parliament. My next Amendment 👇would safeguard those with fluctuating conditions, or a recurrence of a condition from being placed onto a lower rate of universal credit#York #UC #PIP — 💙Rachael Maskell MP (@RachaelMaskell) July 9, 2025 She has proposed that current out-of-work benefits claimants should not be put on the proposed lower rate of out-of-work benefit, if they slip out of and then back into the eligibility criteria either side of the changes. 'If someone has a fluctuating physical or mental health condition like multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, cystic fibrosis, or other recurring muscular-skeletal condition, if following a period of remission and work then relapse and returning to universal credit, unless unequivocally stated, they will return onto the pittance of £50-a-week for their health element,' she said. Sir Stephen intervened and asked her to acknowledge 'how the Bill protects people in exactly the situation that she describes', where claimants are prone to seasonal conditions such as chest infections over the winter. If a pre-2026 claimant slips out of being eligible for universal credit but meets the eligibility criteria again within six months, the Bill would demand that they be considered 'continuously entitled to an award'. It would mean that they could go 'straight back onto the position they are in at the start', the minister added. Labour MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge Marie Tidball urged the Government to properly work with disabled people in the Pip review, known as the Timms review. Ms Tidball, a disabled MP who tabled a cross-party amendment on the Timms review, said: 'While the minister will head up this review, the voices of disabled people must be front and centre. 'The measures in this new clause emphasise the need for disabled people and disabled people's organisations to make up the majority of the taskforce, and to have a significant role in the leadership of the review, and I believe carers could be a part of that.' She said any recommendations must be debated in the Commons before implementation. She said: 'Output of this review must also be meaningful and not performative.' Independent MP Zarah Sultana, who quit Labour last week, spoke in the Commons for the first time since her decision, where she hit out at the Government. The MP for Coventry South MP said: 'The truth is this – Westminster is broken but the real crisis is deeper. This is a Government, not out of touch, but also morally bankrupt. It works for billionaires and big business while turning its back on disabled people.'
North Wales Chronicle
09-07-2025
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
Welfare reforms risk leaving stain on Labour, MP warns
Rachael Maskell said pressing ahead with the welfare reform Bill risked leaving 'such a stain' on her party, as she urged ministers to scrap a proposed change to the out-of-work element of universal credit. Ministers have proposed increasing the universal credit standard allowance at least in line with inflation until 2029/30. But the Government has proposed freezing the 'limited capability for work' (LCW) part of the benefit until 2030, and new claimants who sign up for the 'limited capability for work and work-related activity' payment will receive a lower rate than existing claimants after April 2026, unless they meet a set of severe conditions criteria or are terminally ill. Commons Work and Pensions Committee chairwoman Debbie Abrahams urged the Government to push back its reforms until November 2026. 'This is to allow for the NHS capacity to ramp up and to ensure funding follows health need, so that people with newly required conditions or impairments can receive early treatment and a better aligned labour market that will enable them to return to work quickly,' the Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth told the Commons. 'Without this, there is the risk that 45,000 more newly disabled people and their children will be pushed into poverty.' Ms Abrahams described her pitch as a 'reasonable compromise', costing £141 million in lost savings. Ms Maskell tried to block the Bill's progression at second reading last week using a reasoned amendment, which failed by 149 votes to 328, majority 179. Around 90 minutes before that vote, social security minister Sir Stephen Timms promised in an intervention to halt a proposed reform to the separate personal independence payment (Pip) benefit, with any changes now only coming in after a review. 'The cart before the horse, the vote before the review, and this omnishambles of a Bill, these people with fluctuating conditions not knowing where they stand, and for that, nor where any of us stand by the end of today,' Ms Maskell said on Wednesday. The York Central MP had earlier said: 'No matter what spin, to pass the Bill tonight, this will leave such a stain on our great party, founded on values of equality and justice.' She urged MPs to gut the Bill of plans to roll out a lower rate of out-of-work benefit for new claimants from 2026 and freeze the LCW component. 'Their contention is my contention – sick and disabled people have not been consulted,' Ms Maskell added. I voted against the UC&PIP Bill. It's now due back for next stage in Parliament. My next Amendment 👇would safeguard those with fluctuating conditions, or a recurrence of a condition from being placed onto a lower rate of universal credit#York #UC #PIP — 💙Rachael Maskell MP (@RachaelMaskell) July 9, 2025 She has proposed that current out-of-work benefits claimants should not be put on the proposed lower rate of out-of-work benefit, if they slip out of and then back into the eligibility criteria either side of the changes. 'If someone has a fluctuating physical or mental health condition like multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, cystic fibrosis, or other recurring muscular-skeletal condition, if following a period of remission and work then relapse and returning to universal credit, unless unequivocally stated, they will return onto the pittance of £50-a-week for their health element,' she said. Sir Stephen intervened and asked her to acknowledge 'how the Bill protects people in exactly the situation that she describes', where claimants are prone to seasonal conditions such as chest infections over the winter. If a pre-2026 claimant slips out of being eligible for universal credit but meets the eligibility criteria again within six months, the Bill would demand that they be considered 'continuously entitled to an award'. It would mean that they could go 'straight back onto the position they are in at the start', the minister added. Labour MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge Marie Tidball urged the Government to properly work with disabled people in the Pip review, known as the Timms review. Ms Tidball, a disabled MP who tabled a cross-party amendment on the Timms review, said: 'While the minister will head up this review, the voices of disabled people must be front and centre. 'The measures in this new clause emphasise the need for disabled people and disabled people's organisations to make up the majority of the taskforce, and to have a significant role in the leadership of the review, and I believe carers could be a part of that.' She said any recommendations must be debated in the Commons before implementation. She said: 'Output of this review must also be meaningful and not performative.' Independent MP Zarah Sultana, who quit Labour last week, spoke in the Commons for the first time since her decision, where she hit out at the Government. The MP for Coventry South MP said: 'The truth is this – Westminster is broken but the real crisis is deeper. This is a Government, not out of touch, but also morally bankrupt. It works for billionaires and big business while turning its back on disabled people.'
The Herald Scotland
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Welfare reforms risk leaving stain on Labour, MP warns
Ministers have proposed increasing the universal credit standard allowance at least in line with inflation until 2029/30. But the Government has proposed freezing the 'limited capability for work' (LCW) part of the benefit until 2030, and new claimants who sign up for the 'limited capability for work and work-related activity' payment will receive a lower rate than existing claimants after April 2026, unless they meet a set of severe conditions criteria or are terminally ill. Commons Work and Pensions Committee chairwoman Debbie Abrahams urged the Government to push back its reforms until November 2026. 'This is to allow for the NHS capacity to ramp up and to ensure funding follows health need, so that people with newly required conditions or impairments can receive early treatment and a better aligned labour market that will enable them to return to work quickly,' the Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth told the Commons. 'Without this, there is the risk that 45,000 more newly disabled people and their children will be pushed into poverty.' Ms Abrahams described her pitch as a 'reasonable compromise', costing £141 million in lost savings. Ms Maskell tried to block the Bill's progression at second reading last week using a reasoned amendment, which failed by 149 votes to 328, majority 179. Around 90 minutes before that vote, social security minister Sir Stephen Timms promised in an intervention to halt a proposed reform to the separate personal independence payment (Pip) benefit, with any changes now only coming in after a review. 'The cart before the horse, the vote before the review, and this omnishambles of a Bill, these people with fluctuating conditions not knowing where they stand, and for that, nor where any of us stand by the end of today,' Ms Maskell said on Wednesday. The York Central MP had earlier said: 'No matter what spin, to pass the Bill tonight, this will leave such a stain on our great party, founded on values of equality and justice.' She urged MPs to gut the Bill of plans to roll out a lower rate of out-of-work benefit for new claimants from 2026 and freeze the LCW component. 'Their contention is my contention – sick and disabled people have not been consulted,' Ms Maskell added. I voted against the UC&PIP Bill. It's now due back for next stage in Parliament. My next Amendment 👇would safeguard those with fluctuating conditions, or a recurrence of a condition from being placed onto a lower rate of universal credit#York #UC #PIP — 💙Rachael Maskell MP (@RachaelMaskell) July 9, 2025 She has proposed that current out-of-work benefits claimants should not be put on the proposed lower rate of out-of-work benefit, if they slip out of and then back into the eligibility criteria either side of the changes. 'If someone has a fluctuating physical or mental health condition like multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, cystic fibrosis, or other recurring muscular-skeletal condition, if following a period of remission and work then relapse and returning to universal credit, unless unequivocally stated, they will return onto the pittance of £50-a-week for their health element,' she said. Sir Stephen intervened and asked her to acknowledge 'how the Bill protects people in exactly the situation that she describes', where claimants are prone to seasonal conditions such as chest infections over the winter. If a pre-2026 claimant slips out of being eligible for universal credit but meets the eligibility criteria again within six months, the Bill would demand that they be considered 'continuously entitled to an award'. It would mean that they could go 'straight back onto the position they are in at the start', the minister added. Labour MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge Marie Tidball urged the Government to properly work with disabled people in the Pip review, known as the Timms review. Ms Tidball, a disabled MP who tabled a cross-party amendment on the Timms review, said: 'While the minister will head up this review, the voices of disabled people must be front and centre. 'The measures in this new clause emphasise the need for disabled people and disabled people's organisations to make up the majority of the taskforce, and to have a significant role in the leadership of the review, and I believe carers could be a part of that.' She said any recommendations must be debated in the Commons before implementation. She said: 'Output of this review must also be meaningful and not performative.' Independent MP Zarah Sultana, who quit Labour last week, spoke in the Commons for the first time since her decision, where she hit out at the Government. The MP for Coventry South MP said: 'The truth is this – Westminster is broken but the real crisis is deeper. This is a Government, not out of touch, but also morally bankrupt. It works for billionaires and big business while turning its back on disabled people.'
