ICC to open confirmation of charges hearing in case against Khalid Mohammed Ali Al-Hashri

Africa, Crime Diary

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (NPA) — The International Criminal Court (ICC) will begin confirmation of charges hearings in the case of Prosecutor v. Khalid Mohammed Ali Al-Hashri on 19 May 2026 at 10:00 local time in The Hague. The proceedings will be held before Pre-Trial Chamber I, composed of Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc (Presiding), Judge Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and Judge Maria del Socorro Flores Liera.

Al-Hashri, a former senior official at Mitiga Prison in Libya, is accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity between 1 May 2014 and 30 June 2020. The charges include imprisonment, torture, cruel treatment, sexual violence, killings, attempted killings, enslavement, and persecution of detainees. Prosecutors allege he was responsible for 17 counts of crimes committed against thousands of individuals held at Mitiga.

He was arrested in Germany on 16 July 2025 under an ICC warrant and transferred to ICC custody on 1 December 2025, making his first appearance on 3 December 2025.

The hearings, scheduled for 19–21 May 2026, will allow the prosecution, defence, and victims’ representatives to present oral arguments. Judges will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial. If charges are confirmed, the case will move to the Trial Chamber.

The ICC has announced that the hearings will be broadcast online with a 30-minute delay, and attendance will be open to diplomats, civil society, accredited journalists, and the public under strict security protocols.