Libyan man facing charges of murder, rape, and torture appears at the ICC

THE HAGUE, Netherlands A Libyan man accused of serious human rights violations at a detention facility in Tripoli appeared before the International Criminal Court on Wednesday. Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, 47, listened silently as a court official detailed allegations of murder, sexual assault, and torture.

El Hishri only spoke to confirm his identity and age and later requested the court consider his provisional release during ongoing proceedings. Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc instructed his lawyer to submit a formal written application for temporary release.

El Hishri was transferred to the Netherlands from Germany on Monday, where he had been detained in July under a confidential ICC warrant. Prosecutors claim he served as a senior commander at Mitiga prison, where he allegedly directed or facilitated abuses between 2015 and 2020.

The charges include six counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes, encompassing the murder, rape, and torture of detainees. El Hishri was not required to enter a plea during the initial hearing.

A follow-up session to evaluate whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial is scheduled for May 19. This case marks the first time a Libyan defendant will stand trial at the ICC. The court's involvement in Libya began in 2011, after the UN Security Council tasked it with investigating violations following the fall of longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi.

Although the ICC quickly issued an arrest warrant for Gadhafi, he was killed by rebels before he could be taken to The Hague. Currently, the court has outstanding warrants for nine other Libyan individuals, including one of Gadhafis sons. In January, Italy detained a suspect, Ossama Anjiem (also known as Ossama al-Masri), but released him due to procedural issues, drawing criticism from human rights groups. Anjiem was similarly accused of crimes at Mitiga prison.

Author: Maya Henderson