The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday ordered Libyan prison official Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri to stand trial after judges confirmed all 17 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against him over alleged abuses committed at Tripoli's Mitiga Prison between 2014 and 2020.
In a unanimous decision, the court's Pre-Trial Chamber I said there were substantial grounds to believe Khaled was responsible for offences including torture, murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, enslavement, persecution, imprisonment and other inhumane acts allegedly committed against thousands of detainees held at the prison.
"There are grounds to believe that Khaled is responsible for 17 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes, specifically: Torture, cruel treatment, imprisonment, outrages upon personal dignity and other inhumane acts (counts 1-6); Rape, attempted rape and other forms of sexual violence (counts 7-10); Murder and attempted murder (counts 11-12); Enslavement (count 13); and Persecution (counts 14-17)," the ICC said in a statement.
The ruling clears the way for the case to proceed to trial before an ICC Trial Chamber, although it does not amount to a finding of guilt. Prosecutors will still be required to prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt, while Khaled retains the presumption of innocence throughout the proceedings.
According to the ICC, the alleged crimes were committed between May 1, 2014, and June 30, 2020, when Mitiga Prison was operated by Libya's Special Deterrence Force, also known as RADA. The court said the crimes were allegedly committed against thousands of individuals who were detained for prolonged periods at the prison and within the wider Mitiga compound.
The judges found grounds to believe Khaled acted as a direct, indirect or co-perpetrator alongside other members of the Special Deterrence Force in carrying out the alleged offences.
According to the Chamber, the decision was based on evidence presented by prosecutors and the defence during confirmation of charges hearings held in May, as well as submissions from victims' representatives. It also acknowledged the contribution of 63 witnesses, including 47 former detainees, whose statements formed part of the evidence before the court.
The ICC issued a sealed arrest warrant for Khaled in July 2025. He was arrested in Germany later that month and surrendered to the court in December 2025 after German authorities executed the warrant.
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