A Libyan prison boss accused of overseeing murder, rape, and torture at a notorious detention centre appeared at the International Criminal Court on Wednesday to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri was sent to the Netherlands on Monday by Germany, where he was arrested in July on a sealed ICC warrant. Prosecutors allege that he was a senior commander at Tripoli's Mitiga prison and ordered or oversaw crimes there between 2015 and 2020.
On Wednesday, Mr El Hishri, 47, sat impassively before the three-woman judging panel and confirmed his name and date of birth. He is accused of six counts of war crimes and six crimes against humanity, including torture, murder, rape, sexual violence and persecution.
The ICC, which tries individuals for the world's worst crimes, believes there are “reasonable grounds” to believe he personally killed one detainee at the prison, which he ran with an iron fist.
It was the first ICC appearance by a Libyan suspect since the court began investigating atrocities committed during the country's civil war in 2011, and the court has nine outstanding arrest warrants for Libyan suspects.
A “significant number” of people died during Mr El Hishri's time there, either from torture, being left outside in winter, untreated injuries, or starvation, the court said.
ICC judges believe at least five detainees, including a 15-year-old boy, were raped by guards or other prisoners. Women prisoners were also subjected to sexual abuse, the court alleged.
The court alleges Mr El Hishri took part in “personally torturing, mistreating, sexually abusing and killing detainees” and also “exercised his authority over all Mitiga prison staff and detainees”.
Presiding judge Iulia Motoc said the court had received an email earlier on Wednesday from his defence team applying for interim release.
When invited to speak, El Hishri said he had no observations, “just requesting my release”.
Libya is grappling with the aftermath of the armed conflict and political chaos that followed the 2011 Nato-backed uprising that toppled long-time dictator Muammar Qaddafi.
It remains divided between a United Nations-recognised government in the west and its eastern rival, backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
