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Libyan war criminal arrested at BER – what comes next?
On July 18, 2025, Chaled al-Hishri, a suspected Libyan war criminal, was arrested at BER airport.
Libyan war criminal arrested at BER – what comes next?
Yesterday it was announced that a suspected Libyan militia leader was arrested at Berlin-Schönefeld Airport. The arrest of Khaled al-Hishri, also known as Al-Buti, came at the request of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The 46-year-old is accused of serious crimes, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, reports Deutschlandfunk.
Al-Hishri, a leading member of the Rada militia in Tripoli, is also known for his role as head of a women's prison located on the site of the Rada militia-controlled Mitiga airport. Numerous human rights violations are said to have been documented in this prison, including ill-treatment and torture. The arrest draws attention to the brutal conditions that prevailed there and to the ongoing challenges in protecting human rights in Libya, adds Zeit.
International legal situation
The situation surrounding al-Hishri sheds light on the functions and importance of the International Criminal Court, which began operations in 2002. According to the Foreign Office, the ICC is not only responsible for prosecuting crimes against humanity, but also acts as a complementary court to national legal systems. It acts when states are unable or unwilling to prosecute serious crimes. Jurisdiction only applies if the state of the crime or perpetrator is a contracting state to the Rome Statute or has recognized this jurisdiction.
In this case, al-Hishri's arrest was carried out within the framework of international cooperation to combat war crimes and human rights violations. The decision to transfer the detainee to the ICC now rests with the Brandenburg Higher Regional Court, which opens a further chapter in the complex legal situation surrounding Libya and the violent conditions prevailing there. International efforts to bring such crimes to justice are crucial, not only for Libya, but also for the international legal system as a whole.
How this case will develop remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that international authorities continue to be called upon to give the victims of war crimes a voice and ensure justice.