ICC Begins Hearings for Libyan Prison Commander El Hishri

The International Criminal Court began confirmation of charges hearings on May 19, 2026, against Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, a former senior commander at the Mitiga prison near Tripoli, Libya. Nicknamed the "Angel of Death," El Hishri faces 17 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, persecution, and enslavement, allegedly committed between February 2015 and early 2020.

Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan alleged that El Hishri managed the facility with an "iron fist," specifically targeting the women's section for sexualized torture and weaponizing disease through extreme overcrowding. El Hishri, who was arrested in Germany in July 2025, is the first suspect to appear at the ICC under the court's UN-mandated investigation into Libya. The detention center was operated by the Special Deterrence Force, also known as Rada.

Defense lawyer Yasser Mohamed Ahmed Hassan denied the allegations and challenged the court's jurisdiction. Judges have 60 days to decide if the evidence is sufficient to proceed to a full trial. Separately, the ICC is seeking Osama Almasri Najim, the head of Libya's judicial police, for related alleged crimes at the same facility.