General updates:

In April 2026, Libya’s political landscape remained marked by deep institutional division between rival eastern and western authorities, despite a rare breakthrough in the form of a unified national budget agreement signed and approved on 11 April 2026 between competing institutions in Tripoli and Benghazi. The agreement, endorsed by the House of Representatives and the High Council of State and welcomed by the Central Bank, established the first unified state budget in more than a decade, amounting to approximately 190 billion Libyan dinars (around 30 billion USD) and aimed at coordinating public spending under a single financial framework.

While UN-led efforts to advance dialogue and electoral preparations continued throughout the month, governance remained fragmented and politically contested, with tensions persisting within structured negotiations and no concrete progress toward national elections. The overall situation reflected a partial administrative coordination without substantive political reunification.

In this context of limited political progress, on 29 April 2026, the United Nations in Libya launched a Youth Advisory Team (YAT) in Tripoli to strengthen youth participation in civic and political discussions. The initiative provides a consultative platform for young people from across the country to share views on governance, development, and civic engagement and feed them into UN programming.

Expression

Among ongoing restrictions and periodic arrests of journalists and activists in Libya, a notable development in May 2026 was the release of journalist Al-Saleheen Al-Zarwali on 14 May 2026, after approximately two years of arbitrary detention in Benghazi. His detention had been linked to his journalistic activity and online expression, and had drawn criticism from human rights organisations.

In a related development concerning detention practices in Libya, authorities in eastern Libya reportedly began implementing procedures on 24 May 2026 for the release of 250 detainees from Qarnada Military Prison following a review of detention cases conducted in coordination with judicial authorities. The initiative forms part of broader reconciliation and amnesty-related efforts and may contribute to addressing cases of prolonged detention.

Peaceful Assembly

Socio-economic grievances and labor-related protests continue to increase in Libya amid deteriorating living conditions, delayed salary payments, and the failure of authorities to guarantee basic labor and social rights. In this context, on 20 April 2026, employees of Libya’s General Electricity Company staged a protest in front of the government headquarters on Al-Sikka Road in Tripoli to demand the payment of delayed salaries and financial entitlements. Protesters warned that continued delays could lead to escalatory measures, including work stoppages and disruptions to electricity services.