Khaled al-Hishri, also known as “Al-Buti”, a senior commander in Libya’s controversial Rada militia, has been arrested by German authorities at Frankfurt Airport.
The arrest took place earlier this month but only came to light recently through reports in the Italian newspaper Avvenire. Al-Hishri is the deputy of Osama Najim, the head of operations for the Judicial Police, who is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
According to Avvenire, al-Hishri was detained based on a sealed arrest warrant issued by the ICC in The Hague for serious crimes allegedly committed in Libya. These crimes include arbitrary detention, torture, sexual violence, confiscation of property, and inhumane treatment of detainees—primarily at Mitiga prison in Tripoli, which was under the control of the Rada Special Deterrence Force.
The ICC had recently confirmed to the United Nations Security Council the issuance of six new arrest warrants related to crimes in Libya, though most of them remained confidential. It is now widely believed that al-Hishri is one of those targeted.
Al-Hishri’s arrest comes amid mounting international pressure over the human rights abuses associated with the Rada militia, which has long operated as a powerful armed group with links to Libya’s interior institutions. Despite its formal ties to the central government, Rada has been accused of functioning as a parallel security apparatus, operating beyond judicial oversight.
Two days before al-Hishri’s arrest, Libya’s Government of National Unity in Tripoli revoked all functional immunities for his superior, Usama al-Masri. That move signaled a possible shift in official posture, amid growing scrutiny from international bodies and mounting evidence of war crimes.
Human rights groups have long demanded accountability for violations inside Mitiga prison. A 2021 report by the UN Panel of Experts documented widespread abuses under al-Hishri’s supervision.
Investigators cited credible testimony of arbitrary detention, torture, sexual abuse, and humiliation of women, alongside reports of systematic theft and extortion.
The German judiciary is now reviewing the ICC’s extradition request. If approved, al-Hishri could become the first Libyan militia leader extradited to The Hague to face trial. His transfer would be a landmark development for international justice and could pave the way for further prosecutions tied to crimes committed by armed groups in post-revolution Libya.
Reactions from European lawmakers have already surfaced. Some critics have called for consistency in the handling of war crimes suspects, referencing Italy’s controversial repatriation of Usama al-Masri earlier this year. Others, including international rights activists, have called al-Hishri’s arrest a rare opportunity to hold perpetrators accountable.
