•Family Pleads for International Intervention as Rights Group Exposes Widespread Human Trafficking Crisis in Kufra
A grassroots advocacy group has issued an urgent appeal over the case of Tesfay Hagos Alemayehu, a 31-year-old Ethiopian refugee from the war-ravaged Tigray region, who is reportedly being held in inhumane conditions by human traffickers in Kufra, a remote area in southeastern Libya.
Tesfay is allegedly subjected to daily torture and abuse, with his captors demanding a $10,000 ransom for his release.
Refugees in Libya, a civil society organization monitoring the plight of migrants and asylum seekers in the region, released a statement condemning the lack of action from both Libyan and Ethiopian authorities.
According to the group, Tesfay is one of hundreds of Black African migrants trapped in a vast transnational human trafficking network that reportedly involves criminal actors from Libya, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
“He was not searching for riches,” the group wrote in a powerful statement. “He fled Ethiopia because the land from which he emerged was bleeding.”
They described Tesfay as “a man stripped of dignity and caged in Kufra, where his Black skin is a currency in the economy of human trafficking.”
Tesfay’s family in Ethiopia has reported his disappearance to local authorities on two occasions.
However, Refugees in Libya states that police were dismissive and provided no support or documentation. “There is nothing we can do. Every day people are trafficked to Libya,” officers allegedly told the family.
The absence of a formal police report has impeded efforts to trigger international mechanisms such as Interpol alerts, leaving Tesfay’s case in bureaucratic limbo.
Disturbing footage reviewed by the advocacy group reportedly shows Tesfay being beaten and humiliated by men speaking Arabic. In one video, he appears “bound, shirtless, bruised, shaved bald and bleeding.”
The videos, sent directly to his family, serve not only as proof of life but also as chilling evidence of what the group describes as the industrialization of human cruelty.
“These videos are not threats; they are proof of cruelty so normalized it now functions as a business model,” the group said.
Despite numerous appeals and attempts to raise awareness, including outreach to Libyan and Ethiopian government officials, Refugees in Libya says no concrete action has been taken.
“We have flagged this case… we have sent communications, reached out to partners, and sounded the alarm. But no action has been taken,” they said.
Tesfay’s plight is emblematic of a broader crisis affecting African migrants in Libya. According to the advocacy group, at least 450 others—men, women, and children—are currently detained alongside Tesfay in Kufra under similar conditions.
All are being held for ransom or face the threat of prolonged abuse or even death if their families cannot meet the demands of traffickers.
Human rights organizations have long documented Libya’s role as a major transit hub for African migrants seeking passage to Europe.
However, in the vacuum of effective governance and amid ongoing conflict, criminal networks have flourished, turning migration routes into corridors of exploitation.
Kufra, in particular, has become notorious for its detention centers and smuggling operations targeting vulnerable migrants.
Advocates are now calling on international organizations, foreign governments, and humanitarian actors to intervene urgently.
“Tesfay Hagos Alemayehu and hundreds like him cannot wait,” said Refugees in Libya. “Every moment of inaction strengthens the grip of traffickers who profit from Black suffering.”
The group is urging immediate diplomatic engagement, cross-border law enforcement cooperation, and emergency humanitarian assistance to address the crisis and secure the release of those held in captivity.
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