Libya's Migrant Workers In Fear Of Arrest

Anti-Gaddafi fighters are allegedly mistreating black Africans in Libya and accusing them of fighting for the ousted dictator.

The African Union and Amnesty International have raised concern about the treatment of prisoners saying there is potential for abuse of the detainees, many of whom insist they are migrant workers.

Tripoli's new military council believe there could be more than five thousand people have been detained in the capital amid fears they were mercenaries fighting on behalf of Colonel Gaddafi.

The National Transitional Council (NTC) has demanded fighters refrain from abusing prisoners and insists those accused of crimes will receive a fair trial.

Justice minister Mohammed al-Alagi said he had visited several places where detainees were being held and told reporters they were "up to international standards."

However, reporters in the capital have described seeing around 200 detainees held at a sports club, where a lack of roof means prisoners are forced to gather by a high wall to seek shade.

Those running the detention centre admitted they had little experience in dealing with prisoners and medical facilities were still being established.

"The danger is that there is no oversight by any authorities, and the people who are carrying out the arrests more like abductions are not trained to respect human rights," said Diana Eltahawy of Amnesty International.

"They are people who carry a lot of anger against people they believe committed atrocities."

At the start of the conflict, there were reports of African mercenaries being flown in by Gaddafi to try stop the rebellion, leading many to suspect those with sub-Saharan African heritage of involvement in defending the collapsed regime.

Around 800 migrant workers have taken refuge in a camp, afraid to try return home in case they are arrest by anti-Gaddafi forces.