Libya's Tripoli Criminal Court has convicted four individuals, who are members of what the court described as a criminal gang involved in human trafficking, abductions for ransom, and torture.

The sentences handed down by the court range between 12 and 22 years in prison, with all convictions occurring in absentia.

According to the attorney general's office, which reported these developments on its Facebook page, the convicted individuals were charged with smuggling migrants from Zuwara, a coastal city located west of Tripoli.

The criminal gang is also accused of kidnapping migrants and forcing their families to pay ransom by sending videos that documented the victims' torture.

The issue of human trafficking and the perilous journey many migrants face in hopes of reaching Europe has become particularly concerning since the fall of Muammar Qaddafi's regime following a NATO-backed uprising in 2011.

Libya has emerged as a critical transit point for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty, often undertaking dangerous desert crossings and Mediterranean voyages.

In addition to these recent court proceedings, there have been other significant developments regarding human trafficking in Libya.

Just days before the sentencing of these four individuals, the Public Prosecutor's Office ordered the arrest of a group accused of trafficking migrants from Tobruk, a city located on Libya's eastern coast.

This particular incident involved sending migrants aboard an unsafe boat that capsized in the northern Mediterranean, resulting in the deaths of 38 nationals from Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia.

The Libyan government has faced pressure from various international entities to address human trafficking within its borders.

In November, countries such as Britain, Spain, Norway, and Sierra Leone urged Libya during a United Nations meeting in Geneva to close down detention centers where rights groups have reported that migrants and refugees face torture, abuse, and occasionally murder.