International human rights groups have welcomed the arrest of Khaled al-Hishri, also known as “Al-Buti”, a Libyan national accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during Libya’s post-2011 conflict.
He was arrested at Berlin Brandenburg Airport on July 16, 2025, under an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Al-Hishri is suspected of playing a leading role at Mitiga Prison in Tripoli, operated by the Special Deterrence Force (al-Radaa), between 2015 and 2020.
During that period, numerous international investigations have linked the facility to systematic torture, sexual violence, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances. Al-Hishri allegedly oversaw or facilitated many of these abuses.
Human Rights Watch, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, and Rassd issued a joint statement applauding German authorities for enforcing the ICC’s warrant. The organizations urged Germany to transfer al-Hishri to The Hague without delay, warning that any postponement could undermine international accountability.
The rights groups also criticised other states for failing to uphold ICC obligations, pointing to Italy’s controversial return of a separate ICC suspect to Libya earlier this year. They described that case as a dangerous act of non-cooperation that risks reinforcing a culture of impunity.
“This arrest marks a turning point in the pursuit of justice for victims of serious crimes in Libya,” the statement read, calling on the ICC to expand its investigations into other perpetrators and their enablers, both inside and outside Libya.
