International Criminal Court judges on Thursday ordered Libyan suspect Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri to stand trial on charges including murder, rape and torture allegedly committed at the notorious Mitiga prison, paving the way for the court's first trial centered on crimes in Libya.
The judges unanimously confirmed 17 charges against El Hishri after prosecutors presented evidence during a hearing in May, alleging he abused detainees at the prison between 2014 and 2020.
In their written decision, the judges said there are "substantial grounds to believe" El Hishri is responsible for the alleged crimes.
Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan welcomed the ruling as a significant milestone, saying it brings the court "a step closer to delivering justice for thousands of victims who were unlawfully arrested, detained and subjected to severe suffering in Mitiga prison."
According to the charges, El Hishri was a senior commander at the prison in charge of the women's section, where prosecutors said sexual violence was widespread. They said his brutality earned him the nickname "Angel of Death."
