FACILITY NAMES
Alternative Names: Al-Nasser Detention Centre, Osama Prison
Location
Country: Libya
City & Region: Az-Zawiyah, North West/ Mediterranean Coast , Africa
Latitude, Longitude: 32.744589, 12.697858
MANAGEMENT & BUDGET
DETAINEES
SIZE & POPULATION
Capacity (specialised migration-related facility)
LENGTH OF DETENTION
OUTCOMES
CONDITIONS
STAFF
Mistreatment Reports
Mistreatment Complaints Yes
Details/Description "Reports indicate that hundreds of individuals, including women and children, from Bangladesh, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, continue to be arbitrarily detained at the illegal detention facility. Some detainees reported being subjected to torture and forced labour, with captors demanding a ransom of 4,000 Libyan dinars (approximately 700 USD) per person for release. In May 2025, a Syrian man reported paying 1,500 USD for his freedom."
Report date (Month) February
Report date (Year) 2026
CELLS
HEALTH
MONITORING & ACCESS
NEWS & TESTIMONY
2026
"Reports indicate that hundreds of individuals, including women and children, from
Bangladesh, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea,
Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, continue to be
arbitrarily detained at the illegal detention facility. Some detainees reported being subjected to
torture and forced labour, with captors demanding a ransom of 4,000 Libyan dinars
(approximately 700 USD) per person for release. In May 2025, a Syrian man reported paying
1,500 USD for his freedom."
2021
“[United States] Treasury Sanctions Libyan Individual for Serious Human Rights Abuse of African Migrants […]Osama Al Kuni Ibrahim (Al Kuni) has been identified as the de facto manager of the al-Nasr Detention Center in Zawiyah, Libya, colloquially named the “Osama prison” because of his involvement. Al Kuni, who has been described as a migrant-smuggling kingpin, is responsible for the systematic exploitation of African migrants at the detention center where these migrants are subject to various human rights abuses. Al Kuni or the individuals under his direction have been involved in or facilitated the killing, exploitation, abuse, and extortion of migrants at the detention center, including through sexual violence, beatings, starvation, and other mistreatment.”
