Libya to redeploy morality police to enforce social norms

Libya has announced the return of its morality police to enforce conservative social norms, including bans on “strange” hairstyles, mixed-gender public gatherings, and travel restrictions for women without male guardianship, the government announced Wednesday according to Middle East Eye. Interior Minister Emad al-Tarabulsi, representing the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU), declared that the patrols would resume next month, prioritizing “society’s traditions” over individual freedoms.

Since the 2011 NATO-backed removal of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has been deeply divided, with rival factions controlling the east and west. The GNU, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, faces ongoing disputes with the Benghazi-based administration, which refuses to recognize Dbeibah’s authority.

Religious freedoms have also eroded in Libya, where non-Islamic religious materials and activities are prohibited. This year, the GNU’s General Authority of Endowments introduced a “Guardians of Virtue” force, signaling a tightening grip on social and religious practices in the country.