A Libyan national accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, known as "Al-Buti," has been arrested in Germany following a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). El Hishri, a former high-ranking official at the Mitiga Prison in Tripoli, is believed to have been complicit in the detention and mistreatment of thousands of detainees, allegedly committing heinous acts such as murder, torture, and sexual violence.
The alleged offenses took place between 2015 and 2020 in the detention facility, which has been described as a site of severe human rights abuses. The ICC has been focused on the situation in Libya since the Un Security Council referred it for investigation in February 2011, spurred by the violent suppression of protests leading to the removal and death of long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Their condemnation highlighted the violence against civilians and the state-sanctioned repression of peaceful demonstrators.
Since Gaddafi's fall, Libya has witnessed a fragmentation into regions dominated by various militias and rival governments. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, continue to bring attention to the dire conditions within Libyan prisons, where many victims, including migrants, endure brutal treatment.
On May 12, 2025, Libya formally accepted the ICC's jurisdiction over events occurring within its territory and ongoing investigations linked to Gaddafi-era abuses. Despite this progress, the ICC has issued multiple arrest warrants, with several individuals still unaccounted for, including Osama Najim, another high-profile figure from Mitiga who was controversially released by Italy earlier this year without notifying the ICC.
El Hishri's arrest in Germany marks an important development in international judicial efforts to pursue justice for victims of Libya's civil conflict. He will remain in custody until his extradition arrangements to The Hague are finalized, as he joins the list of individuals facing trial for their roles in the atrocities that have scarred Libya's recent history.
