ICC Orders Trial for Former Libyan Prison Commander

Judges at the International Criminal Court ruled on July 16, 2026, that Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, a former senior commander at Libya's Mitiga prison, must stand trial on 17 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The charges include murder, rape, torture, enslavement, and persecution of detainees between 2014 and 2020, specifically within the women's wing of the facility operated by the Special Deterrence Force. Known as the "Angel of Death," El Hishri was arrested in Germany in July 2025 and transferred to the Netherlands in December 2025.

This is the first ICC trial focused on atrocities in Libya, which is not a member of the court but falls under a 2011 United Nations Security Council mandate. Prior to the ruling, judges rejected a defense challenge regarding the court's jurisdiction on July 15. While a trial date has not been set, proceedings are expected to begin in early 2027.

Human Rights Watch described the decision as a milestone, though it noted that Libya's domestic justice sector remains deeply flawed. Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a campaign to dismantle the ICC's perceived threat to U.S. sovereignty, which includes banning court staff from traveling to the United States and pressuring member states to withdraw from the institution.