The Hague - Tripoli: Europe and the Arabs
The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) welcomed the arrest of the suspect, Mr. Khaled Mohamed Ali Al-Hishri, on 16 July 2025 by the authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany. Mr. Al-Hishri, a Libyan national, was arrested in the context of the Office's ongoing investigation into the situation in Libya. The Office looks forward to transferring Mr. Al-Hishri to the ICC in due course. According to a statement issued by the Court's headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands, a copy of which we received, "Based on its independent and impartial investigation, the Office alleges that Mr. Al-Hishri, a senior official of the Special Deterrence Forces (SDF/RADA) armed group, known as the SDF/RADA, is criminally responsible for numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Libya, in or near Mitiga Prison, from approximately February 2015 to at least early 2020. During that period, Mr. Al-Hishri was a senior official at Mitiga Prison, where thousands of people were detained for prolonged periods." The Office submitted a request for an arrest warrant against him on April 3, 2025.
In the arrest warrant issued on July 10, 2025, Pre-Trial Chamber I agreed that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Al-Hishri was criminally responsible for crimes including murder, torture, rape, and sexual violence.
The arrest of Mr. Al-Hishri is a significant development in the Office’s efforts to achieve accountability in the situation in Libya, particularly with regard to crimes committed in detention facilities, in accordance with its renewed strategy pursuant to United Nations Security Council resolution 1970 (2011) and Libya’s declaration accepting the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) with respect to alleged crimes committed on its territory from 2011 to the end of 2027. In recent reports to the UN Security Council, the Office identified the arrest and prosecution of a suspect in this situation in 2025 as a key priority. In coordination with the Registry, we have now taken a major step towards achieving this priority. The Office has identified crimes committed in detention facilities as a primary line of investigation. This strategic approach has been effectively implemented through the excellent work of the Unified Team for Libya, under the guidance and leadership of Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shamim Khan. The Office is grateful to the Registry partners who actively supported the arrest, in close coordination with the newly established Tracking and Fusion Section of the Office of the Prosecutor.
This is an important moment. We can now look forward to the first judicial proceedings in the Libya situation before the Court. The Prosecution stands ready to bring Mr. Al-Hishri to trial before the ICC.
Finally, and most importantly, the Office thanks all the victims and witnesses from Libya who have cooperated in the investigation. Their strength, courage, and commitment have made these important developments possible.
The Office's investigation into the Libya situation continues. Work is underway across multiple lines of investigation, including further action regarding crimes committed in detention facilities. In its efforts to promote accountability in this situation, the Office continues to rely on the partnership of national authorities, regional and international organizations, and communities affected by crimes under the Rome Statute.
The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court conducts independent and impartial preliminary examinations, investigations, and prosecutions for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.