Libyan man accused of war crimes arrested in Germany, ICC says
Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri was allegedly one of the most senior officials at Mitiga Prison in Tripoli where thousands of people were detained.
He was arrested on Wednesday based on a warrant issued by the court on 10 July.
"He is suspected of having committed directly himself, ordered or overseen crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape and sexual violence, allegedly committed in Libya from February 2015 to early 2020," the ICC said in a statement.
The court's prosecution office hailed the arrest as "an important development" in efforts to seek accountability for crimes in detention facilities in Libya.
It said it was ready for his trial, which would be the first of a Libyan suspect at the court.
The office also thanked "all the victims and witnesses from Libya who have stepped forward to cooperate in the investigation. Their strength, courage and commitment make these important developments possible."
El Hishri will remain in custody in Germany until legal proceedings to have him transported to The Hague are completed.
The court relies on other countries to execute its arrest warrants. It paid tribute to German authorities for detaining El Hishri.
"I thank the national authorities for their strong and consistent cooperation with the Court, including leading to this recent arrest," ICC Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler said in a statement.
The United Nations Security Council called on the ICC to open an investigation in Libya in 2011 amid violence that led to the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi and morphed into a crippling civil war.
The court issued a warrant for the long-time Libyan strongman, but he was killed by rebels before he could be detained.
The court has arrest warrants out for eight other Libyan suspects, including one of Gaddafi's sons.
Earlier this year, authorities in Libya accepted the court's jurisdiction over the country from 2011 through to the end of 2027.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Local France
4 hours ago
- Local France
European powers plan fresh nuclear talks with Iran: German diplomatic source
The European powers, known as the E3, "are in contact with Iran to schedule further talks for the coming week", the source said, following warnings from the trio that international sanctions against Iran could be reactivated if Tehran does not resume negotiations. Iran's Tasnim news agency also reported that Tehran had agreed to hold talks with the three European countries, citing an unnamed source. Consultations are ongoing regarding a date and location for the talks, the report said. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a call Friday with his British, French and German counterparts and European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. During the call, the Europeans warned that if Iran did not return to talks soon, they would activate a so-called "snapback" mechanism to reimpose sanctions lifted in a 2015 deal to curb Tehran's nuclear output. Iran and the United States had held several rounds of nuclear negotiations through Omani mediators before Israel launched its 12-day war against Iran on June 13. However, US President Donald Trump's decision to join Israel in striking Iranian nuclear facilities effectively ended the talks. Advertisement "Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. That is why Germany, France and the United Kingdom are continuing to work intensively in the E3 format to find a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear programme," the German source said. Iran denies it is pursuing nuclear weapons. The 2015 deal between Iran and world powers, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), placed significant restrictions on Tehran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. But the hard-won deal began to unravel in 2018, during Trump's first presidency, when the United States walked away from it and reimposed sanctions on Iran. "If no solution is reached over the summer, snapback remains an option for the E3," the German source said.
LeMonde
a day ago
- LeMonde
French hostages in Iran are at mercy of regime's bargaining
It was close to noon in Tehran on June 23 when Cécile Kohler heard the first explosion. The sound of a second, then a third, soon followed. The walls of the tiny cell in Evin prison, where the literature teacher has been locked up for three years, shook. Just a few meters away, in the men's section, Jacques Paris, her 72-year-old partner who was arrested with her in May 2022, grew frantic as fellow inmates were wounded by shrapnel and shards of glass. Chaos and panic ensued. The guards gathered the political prisoners from Section 209, tied them together in pairs, and transferred them to Tehran-Bozorg penitentiary in the south of the capital, as Israeli bombs continued to rain down on the city. "I thought I was going to die," Kohler later told the chargé d'affaires at the French embassy in Iran during a consular visit granted a week later on July 1. Since the Israeli strikes, their actual place of detention is unknown. Terrified by the attacks, the 40-year-old woman was barely sleeping. "Every night, she hears explosions," her sister Noémie Kohler said by phone. Are they phantom noises or real gunfire? The family lives in anxiety and uncertainty. After three years in detention, Kohler and Paris were indicted in late June by a revolutionary court for "espionage on behalf of Mossad [Israeli intelligence services]," "plotting to overthrow the government" and "corruption on earth" – charges that carry the death penalty. Is there any hope for release? "We no longer believe in it," sighed Noémie Kohler. The couple has now been joined by Lennart Monterlos, an 18-year-old French-German cyclist, arrested "for an offense," according to Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghtchi in an interview with Le Monde on July 10, without providing further details. A fourth French citizen has recently been arrested in Iran, Le Monde has learned, though neither the Iranian authorities nor Paris has disclosed any information
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
Anti-immigrantion demonstrations in more than 80 cities across Poland
Anti-immigration protests organised by the far-right Confederation Libery and Independence party took place in more than 80 cities across Poland, including in Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw, and Bialystok. Demonstrators demanded the closure of the borders with Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus and Slovakia. "Enough of the years-long policy of 'let everyone in, and who they are will be determined later'," Krzysztof Bosak, one of Confederation party's leaders, wrote on X. "Polish women and men have the right to be concerned about the level of security in their own homeland," he added. In a speech at the start of the march, Bosak demanded the resignation of Donald Tusk's government, the closure of the borders with Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus and Slovakia to curb illegal immigration, and the permission for soldiers to shoot at people who cross the border illegally. "Without closing Poland to illegal immigration, without launching a deportation operation, without renouncing political correctness, without equipping the Border Guard and the forces responsible for controlling the legality of residence, and without controlling the labour market, security will gradually deteriorate," he said, calling for a change in policy. The protests come shortly after Poland introduced border controls with Germany and Lithuania, which came into effect on 7 July. On the Polish-German border, controls are in place at 52 places and on the Polish-Lithuanian border at 13. The issue of migration has been widely up for debate, and a contentious topic in Polish politics, particularly as the country has experienced a rise in immigration in recent years. In the first round of the presidential elections held in May, candidates of the far-right performed well, with Slawomir Mentzen of the Confederation Libery and Independence party and Grzegorz Braun of Confederation of the Polish Crown party coming in third and fourth, respectively. Many believe that both candidates' successes were due to their hardline stance on migration. Interior ministers agree on asylum rules On Friday, Poland and five other EU countries, agreed a set of targets for tightening asylum rules. During the meeting hosted by Germany's interior minister, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz admitted that he was "pleased that Poland is carrying out border controls." Last year, Poland saw an increase in asylum applications due to the recurring crisis on its eastern border with Belarus, which has been ongoing since 2021. As a result, the Polish parliament passed a law temporarily suspending the right to apply for asylum for those who crossed the Belarusian border. Both Polish and European leaders have long accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating the influx of migrants to destabilise the EU. On Saturday morning, the Ministry of Interior and Administration published statistics on the number of approvals issued for special protection for foreigners on X. "In 2024, we issued 40 per cent fewer approvals for special protection for foreigners than in 2021. This is the result of a better managed system, our operations at the border and more efficient procedures," the post read. "The government is pursuing a responsible and well-considered migration policy, taking care of the stability and security of citizens," it added. Counter demonstrations in many cities Counter-manifestations against the Confederation marches were also held in Warsaw, Katowice, Olsztyn and other cities on Saturday. Demonstrators carried banners with the slogans: "Accept the refugees, delete the fascists," "Action Democracy" and "We defend the right to asylum." "Everyone, regardless of their skin colour and origin, should feel comfortable not only in Poland, but also in Europe," Maria Książak of the International Humanitarian Initiative Foundation said during the demonstration.
