Rights groups urge Germany to hand over Khaled El-Heshri to the ICC
In a statement issued Wednesday, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) announced its support for over 15 civil society organizations calling for Al-Heshri's immediate surrender and full cooperation with the ICC's ongoing investigation into Libya.
The organizations welcomed Al-Heshri's arrest by German authorities at Berlin Brandenburg Airport on July 16, in execution of an ICC arrest warrant. They described the arrest as a major step in the long-standing effort to ensure accountability for grave international crimes committed in Libya, commending German authorities for their swift and decisive action.
Al-Heshri held a senior position at Mitiga Prison in Tripoli and managed several detention facilities at the Mitiga airbase. According to the ICC, he is accused of committing or overseeing crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual violence, between February 2015 and at least early 2020.
According to the FIDH, Al-Heshri's arrest marks a pivotal development, as his case is the first from the Libya file to move toward judicial proceedings before the ICC in The Hague.
'The arrest sends a powerful message to survivors that justice is possible—even amid ongoing conflict and shifting power dynamics in Libya,' the statement reads. 'However, justice requires follow-through, and we urge Germany to ensure the prompt and effective surrender of Al-Heshri to the ICC so that proceedings can move forward without delay.' It called on all States Parties to the Rome Statute to fully cooperate with the ICC.
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