United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970

UN Security Council Resolution 1970
Libyan opposition in Benghazi during the uprising
Date	26 February 2011
Meeting no.	6,491
Code	S/RES/1970 (Document)
Subject	Peace and security in Africa
Voting summary	15 voted for None voted against None abstained
Result	Adopted
Security Council composition
Permanent members	China  France  Russia  United Kingdom  United States
Non-permanent members	Bosnia–Herzegovina  Brazil  Colombia  Germany  Gabon  India  Lebanon  Nigeria  Portugal  South Africa

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970 was a measure adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on 26 February 2011. It condemned the use of lethal force by the government of Muammar Gaddafi against protesters participating in the Libyan Civil War, and imposed a series of international sanctions in response.

The Security Council resolution marked the first time a country was unanimously referred to the International Criminal Court by the council.

It has been alleged by Le Figaro that France openly violated the resolution by parachuting weapons to Libyan rebels (see lower).

During the Libyan civil war, Gaddafi's loyalist forces allegedly carried out aerial bombings in Tripoli over civilian protesters, which drew widespread condemnation. However, these massacres likely never took place. Nonetheless, under pressure from mutinying Libyan diplomats the UN was brought to act.

Resolution 1970, proposed by France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, was adopted after a day-long discussion. Libyan Ambassador to the United Nations Abdurrahman Mohamed Shalgam, who defected from Gaddafi's regime, appealed to the Security Council to act on the situation in Libya. He persuaded China, India and Russia to include a reference to the International Criminal Court, after they previously expressed concern that it could inflame the situation. Russia secured a provision preventing nations from using the resolution as a pretext for intervention in Libya. Another provision proposed by Libyan representatives to include a no-fly zone over the country was rejected.