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Libya’s creative community is enduring one of the harshest crackdowns in recent memory, as authorities in both Eastern and Western regions step up policing of artistic and cultural expression. In early 2025, the country saw a decisive shift when the Interior Ministries issued new rules between January 31 and February 5 requiring government permission for all musical, theatrical, and dance events. Framed as “safeguarding morals” and “protecting religious values,” these measures have effectively erased much of Libya’s vibrant cultural scene, reverting the atmosphere to the restrictive norms of previous decades.

KA7LA Rap Collective, MC Mansour Unknown, and Rap Bans
A flashpoint in this wave of repression was the targeting of the KA7LA rap collective. The group, popular for their critical lyrics and energetic performances, had gained visibility after a series of shows in Derna and other eastern cities in January 2025. Their attempts to schedule further concerts were thwarted when authorities—citing new morality decrees—denied performance permits. Members of KA7LA, including well-known MC Mansour Unknown, reported escalating police surveillance, direct warnings, and the threat of prosecution if they continued public performances. By February, all rap concerts had ceased, and artists described the chilling impact of “soft enforcement” where intimidation replaced legal process.

National Music Festival Cancellation
The consequences were equally severe for the broader arts sector. Tripoli’s longstanding national music festival, scheduled for May 31–June 1, was abruptly cancelled after organizers were denied licenses and subject to repeated police visits. This marked an abrupt turnaround from 2024, when the Benghazi Summer Festival and other events had briefly revived Libya’s hip-hop and theater scenes. By March, two theater directors in Benghazi had been forced to sign pledges not to stage satirical plays deemed politically sensitive or incompatible with “public morals,” with threats delivered both formally and anonymously.

Theater, Visual Artists, and Event Closures
Visual artists faced similar pressure. In February, gallery exhibitions in Tripoli and Misrata showcasing political cartoons and critical social themes were shut down after unannounced government inspections. Artists described the removal of their work and threats of prosecution for “violating public order,” leading many to halt public exhibitions out of fear and financial hardship.

Maryam Al-Warfalli’s Detention
Human rights organizations have rigorously documented the mounting abuses. Amnesty International’s August 2025 report and Human Rights Watch’s spring 2025 review confirm widespread arbitrary detention, torture, and forced exile targeting artists, bloggers, activists, and online creators. At least 17 cultural workers provided testimony of beatings, denial of access to lawyers, and releases contingent on promises to self-censor or leave the country. The abuses are especially concentrated in Benghazi, Tripoli, and notorious detention sites such as Mitiga and Garnada.

A high-profile case illustrating these dangers is that of blogger Maryam Al-Warfalli. She was detained in Sabha in January 2024 after satirizing military leaders online and held incommunicado in Benghazi for nearly eight months—her ordeal ending only after sustained international advocacy and with continuing restrictions placed on her activity.

MC Meego (Seraj Abu-Snine) and Public Apologies
Social media has become both a battleground and a record of intimidation. In early 2025, prominent rapper MC Meego (Seraj Abu-Snine) posted a public apology renouncing performance after being targeted by police for “indecent” lyrics. His case, like those of many others who made similar public confessions, exemplifies how government and community pressure has become a chief driver of self-censorship.

Impact and Patterns of Repression
By autumn 2025, the impact is overwhelming: festivals are gone, performances are banned, theaters are shuttered, and creative communities have been forced underground or into exile. The dominant strategy is not formal prosecution, but omnipresent “soft enforcement”—harassment, warnings, forced apologies, and surveillance. Rights watchdogs, including CIHRS and Amnesty, warn that without urgent legal reforms and international attention, Libya’s creative sector could disappear almost entirely.

Libya’s Creative Scene Under Threat in 2025
Artists in Libya are facing escalating restrictions: music festivals canceled, rap concerts banned, theaters closed, and visual arts exhibitions suppressed. Bloggers and performers face surveillance, threats, and arbitrary detention, creating a climate of fear and self-censorship. Human rights organizations urge international attention to protect freedom of expression.

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