Written by Lisa Murimi
A Libyan man suspected of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity has been arrested in Germany under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, authorities confirmed this week.
Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, widely known as “Al-Buti,” is alleged to have been a senior official at the notorious Mitiga Prison in Tripoli, where thousands were unlawfully detained.
According to the ICC, Hishri is suspected of involvement in the murder, torture, and rape of prisoners between 2015 and 2020. There has been no public comment from Hishri regarding the allegations.
The ICC issued the arrest warrant as part of its long-standing investigation into crimes committed during Libya’s ongoing conflict following the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi.
Since then, the country has remained fractured, with rival governments and armed militias vying for control.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned the brutal conditions in detention centers like Mitiga, where migrants and civilians have reportedly faced systemic abuse.
This arrest marks the 11th warrant issued by the ICC in connection with post-Gaddafi violence. Eight suspects, including Osama Najim—allegedly a director of Mitiga Prison—remain at large.
Najim was controversially released by Italian authorities earlier this year, prompting condemnation from the ICC.
Libya accepted ICC jurisdiction for crimes committed on its territory between 2011 and 2027.
The court, supported by the UN Security Council’s 2011 referral, continues its pursuit of accountability for atrocities committed during the civil war.
Hishri is currently held in Germany and will be extradited to The Hague, where he will face trial.
The ICC reiterated its commitment to justice, even as key suspects evade capture and thousands remain detained under inhumane conditions in Libya.
