Libya's Supreme Judicial Council Warns Against Replacement Attempts

The Supreme Judicial Council, formed under a law issued by the House of Representatives (HoR), has warned against attempts by parties it described as presenting themselves as actors in constitutional affairs to undermine the unity and independence of the judiciary by seeking to replace the current council with what it called a “harmful council.”

In a statement, the Supreme Council said these moves aim to achieve “narrow political and personal goals” that usurp the powers of the judiciary, noting that the “continued intransigence” of unnamed parties is imposing a reality that leads only to tampering with the judicial institution at a sensitive stage.

The statement stressed that the Supreme Council will remain “the sole legitimate representative of the judicial bodies,” reaffirming that it will not relinquish its commitment to the unity of the judicial system and its members under any pressure, and warning that standing up for the unity and independence of the judiciary has become a national duty.

It further emphasized that it will disregard any decisions issued by other bodies and will not comply with those determined to compromise its unity, describing any decisions issued by such entities as “null and void.”

Earlier, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court ruled to invalidate Law No. 22 of 2023 and Law No. 32 of 2023, issued by the HoR, which included amendments to the Law on the Judicial System.

The ruling of the Constitutional Chamber restored the legal status of the Supreme Judicial Council to what it was prior to the amendments issued by the HoR.

This means that the constitutional basis on which the current Supreme Judicial Council was formed has been removed, that it has lost the status derived from that law, and that it must therefore be reconstituted in accordance with the previous legal provisions.