- Country
- Libya
- Ministry responsible
- Ministry of Justice
- Prison administration
- Authority of Judicial Police
- Contact address
-
Fallah, Tripoli
Libya - Telephone
- Fax
- Website
- Head of prison administration
-
(Col.) Mahmoud Abuhmeida, Head of Judicial Police
Prison population data
| Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) |
19,103
at 5.5.2023 (UN mission – UNSMIL. Number in facilities under Ministry of Justice)
|
|---|---|
| Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
269
based on an estimated national population of 7.11 million at beginning of May 2023 (from United Nations figures)
|
| Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
Circac. 29.0%
(5.5.2023 - of those in facilities under Ministry of Justice)
|
| Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
1.1%
(5.5.2023 - of those in facilities under Ministry of Justice)
|
| Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) |
(under the responsibility of the Social Security ministry)
|
| Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
12.8%
(15.9.2013)
|
| Number of establishments / institutions |
26
(October 2017 - facilities largely under the control of the Ministry of Justice)
|
| Official capacity of prison system |
9,000
(June 2007)
|
| Occupancy level (based on official capacity) |
141.6%
(June 2007)
|
Prison population trend
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate |
|---|---|---|
| c. 6,750 | c. 135 | |
| 9,763 | 178 | |
| 13,217 | 230 | |
| 13,242 | 220 | |
| 3,186 | 52 | |
| 6,187 | 99 | |
| c. 9,100 | c. 139 |
Prison population total
Prison population rate
Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend
The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.
It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.
The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population.
LIBYA
| Year | Number in pre-trial/remand imprisonment | Percentage of total prison population | Pre-trial/remand population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 2004 2007 2010 2013 | 6,692 6,386 6,262 4,763 | 56.8% 50.1% 47.3% 89.4% | 121 110 104 73 |
| 2023 | c. 5,540 | c. 29.0% | c. 78 |
It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.
The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.
Female prison population: trend
The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.
It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day.
The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.
LIBYA
| Year | Number of female prisoners | Percentage of total prison population | Female prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 2004 2007 2010 2013 2020 | 387 347 345 103 278 | 3.3% 2.7% 2.6% 1.9% 3.2% | 7.0 6.0 5.7 1.6 4.1 |
| 2023 | 216 | 1.1% | 3.0 |
The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.
The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.
(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).
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