Prostitution laws in Libyaليبيا
Prostitution is prohibited in Libya through both general and specific offences. Law No. 70 of 1973 punishes zina, sexual intercourse between a man and a woman who are not married to each other, with 100 lashes, optionally combined with imprisonment, and added to the Penal Code an offence of consensual intercourse punishable by up to five years for both partners. The Penal Code further punishes any woman who makes prostitution her means of livelihood with at least one year's detention, anyone who opens or manages a brothel with at least one year and closure, and anyone living on a woman's earnings from prostitution. Inciting passers-by to indecency and distributing indecent material are separate offences. Floggings under Law No. 70 are still reported: a video from Sabha in July 2026 drew public criticism.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Selling and buying are both offences. Law No. 70 of 1973 makes zina (intercourse between a man and a woman not married to each other) a hadd crime punished with 100 lashes, and Article 407(4) of the Penal Code punishes consensual intercourse with up to five years for both partners. The Penal Code also specifically punishes a woman who makes prostitution her livelihood, brothel-keeping and procuring.[1][2][3]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Any woman who makes prostitution her means of livelihood and gain is punished by detention of at least one year (Penal Code Article 417 bis (a)). Selling sex also exposes both parties to the zina offence under Law No. 70 of 1973 (100 lashes) and to Article 407(4) (up to five years for consensual intercourse).[1][2][3] |
| Buying sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | There is no specific offence of paying for sex, but a client commits zina under Law No. 70 of 1973, punished with 100 lashes and optionally imprisonment, and the Penal Code offence of consensual intercourse, punishable for both partners by up to five years (Article 407(4)).[1][2] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Opening or managing a house of indecency or prostitution, or assisting in its management, is punished by at least one year and a fine of 100 to 300 dinars, with closure and confiscation (Article 417 bis (a)). Knowingly renting out premises for prostitution, or regularly facilitating it in furnished rooms or shops open to the public, carries at least three months (Article 417 bis (b)).[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Anyone whose livelihood depends wholly or partly on a woman's earnings from prostitution is punished by at least one year's detention and a fine of up to 200 dinars (Article 417). Luring a minor or a person into prostitution to satisfy another's lust carries at least one year (Article 415), and compelling a person by force carries three to six years (Article 416).[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Inciting passers-by to indecency by gestures, words or acts is punished by one to six months (Article 420 bis), and distributing, exhibiting or offering for sale indecent letters, pictures or other articles by up to one year or a fine (Article 421).[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Any woman who makes prostitution her means of livelihood and gain is punished by detention of at least one year (Penal Code Article 417 bis (a)). Selling sex also exposes both parties to the zina offence under Law No. 70 of 1973 (100 lashes) and to Article 407(4) (up to five years for consensual intercourse).[1][2][3]
Confidence: medium. Penal Code read in DCAF's unofficial English translation. Article 417 bis (c) says the preceding prostitution articles apply only in areas covered by a Cabinet decree issued on the approval of the competent province (a 1956 provision from the federal era); how this is read today was not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
There is no specific offence of paying for sex, but a client commits zina under Law No. 70 of 1973, punished with 100 lashes and optionally imprisonment, and the Penal Code offence of consensual intercourse, punishable for both partners by up to five years (Article 407(4)).[1][2]
Confidence: medium. Law No. 70 was read in Arabic on the DCAF database; the operative words are translated here.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Opening or managing a house of indecency or prostitution, or assisting in its management, is punished by at least one year and a fine of 100 to 300 dinars, with closure and confiscation (Article 417 bis (a)). Knowingly renting out premises for prostitution, or regularly facilitating it in furnished rooms or shops open to the public, carries at least three months (Article 417 bis (b)).[1]
Confidence: medium. Unofficial English translation; see the note on Article 417 bis (c) under selling.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Anyone whose livelihood depends wholly or partly on a woman's earnings from prostitution is punished by at least one year's detention and a fine of up to 200 dinars (Article 417). Luring a minor or a person into prostitution to satisfy another's lust carries at least one year (Article 415), and compelling a person by force carries three to six years (Article 416).[1]
Confidence: medium. Unofficial English translation.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Inciting passers-by to indecency by gestures, words or acts is punished by one to six months (Article 420 bis), and distributing, exhibiting or offering for sale indecent letters, pictures or other articles by up to one year or a fine (Article 421).[1]
Confidence: low. Classification inferred from general provisions; online advertising and Libya's cybercrime legislation were not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Penal Code Penal Code of 28 November 1953, as amended art. 407 · art. 415–421 | Articles 415 to 421 cover procuring, prostitution as a livelihood, brothels and public indecency; Article 407(4) punishes consensual intercourse.[1] | |
| قانون رقم (70) لسنة 1973م بشأن إقامة حد الزنى وتعديل بعض أحكام قانون العقوبات Law No. 70 of 1973 on establishing the hadd punishment for zina and amending certain provisions of the Penal Code arts. 1–2 · art. 8 | Defines zina as intercourse between a man and a woman not married to each other and sets the punishment at 100 lashes.[2] |
Timeline
- 28 November 1953Penal Code issued.[1]
- 1956Law No. 48 of 1956 rewrites the Penal Code articles on prostitution, procuring and brothels.[1]
- 2 October 1973Law No. 70 of 1973 introduces the hadd punishment of 100 lashes for zina and adds consensual intercourse to Article 407.[2]
- 21 July 2026A video filmed in Sabha shows a woman being flogged for adultery under Law No. 70 in a public street rather than at a police station as the law requires; the Judicial Police announces an investigation.[4]
Sources
- Penal Code. DCAF, Libya security-sector legal database (unofficial English translation). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- قانون رقم (70) لسنة 1973م بشأن إقامة حد الزنى وتعديل بعض أحكام قانون العقوبات (Law No. (70) of 1973 on establishing the hudud punishment for illicit sex and amending certain provisions of the Penal Code). DCAF, Libya security-sector legal database, 2 October 1973. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Libya: Gender Justice & The Law. UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA and UN ESCWA, 2018. intergovernmental · accessed 30 October 2026
- Outrage in Libya over a video of a woman being publicly flogged for adultery. France 24, 5 August 2026. news · accessed 30 October 2026