A Libyan man accused of playing a key role in war crimes and crimes against humanity has been arrested in Germany, following an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, widely known as Al-Buti, was taken into custody over his alleged role in serious crimes committed at the Mitiga Prison complex in Tripoli, where thousands were detained.

He is suspected of either directly committing, ordering or supervising acts such as murder, rape and torture between 2015 and 2020 at the detention facility.

Hishri served as a senior official at Mitiga and was part of the Special Deterrence Force (SDF), also known as Rada, which was aligned to the interior ministry of the UN-recognised government based in Tripoli.

The detention centre has gained a notorious reputation over the years for what rights groups describe as widespread abuse.

His arrest is part of a broader effort by the ICC to pursue justice in Libya, where the court has issued 11 arrest warrants connected to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity since 2011.

That year marked the beginning of a violent uprising, backed by NATO forces, that led to the ousting and killing of long-serving Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The United Nations Security Council referred Libya’s situation to the ICC in February 2011, condemning what it described as “violence and use of force against civilians” and “gross and systematic violation of human rights,” including crackdowns on peaceful protesters.

Since Gaddafi’s fall, Libya has remained fragmented, with competing factions and militias controlling various regions. The country is still split between two rival administrations, further complicating accountability efforts for past and ongoing abuses.

Hishri’s arrest comes just months after Libya formally accepted the ICC’s jurisdiction from 2011 through to the end of 2027. He is expected to remain in custody in Germany until he is transferred to The Hague to face trial.

Meanwhile, other individuals wanted by the ICC for similar crimes remain at large. One such figure is Osama Najim, also known as Almasri, who was allegedly the director of the Mitiga detention centre.

He was controversially released by Italy earlier this year due to a legal technicality, without the ICC being notified. The court has since reissued an arrest warrant for him.

Rights group Amnesty International has previously described Mitiga Prison as a site of “horrific violations committed with total impunity,” with many of the detainees being migrants attempting to cross into Europe.

The ICC praised the bravery of victims and witnesses who provided critical support to the investigation. “Their strength, courage and commitment make these important developments possible,” the court said.

As the legal process continues, Hishri’s case now becomes part of the ICC’s broader mission to deliver justice for crimes committed during and after Libya’s civil war, even as several suspects still evade capture.