The Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague held a public hearing on Wednesday for the initial appearance of the Libyan defendant, Khaled Mohamed Ali Al-Hishri. This session falls under the reference case ICC-01/25, with the primary objective of informing the accused of the charges against him, explaining his legal rights, and setting the date for the confirmation of charges hearing.
The Presiding Judge opened the session by introducing the case, followed by the review of the legal team formations by the Prosecution, the Defence, and the Registry. Al-Hishri was then asked to confirm his identity by stating his full name, year, and place of birth. The Judge stressed that the current hearing was not concerned with guilt or innocence, but solely with informing the accused of the accusations and his rights. The bill of indictment, issued on July 10, 2025, was read out. It includes war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed against detainees in Libya between 2015 and 2020. These charges encompass murder, rape, torture, sexual violence, unlawful imprisonment, and humiliation.
The Judge explained the defendant’s rights, including the right to silence or to make an unsworn statement, to have an interpreter, to prepare his defense, to communicate confidentially with his counsel, and to access the evidence. She also noted that the Court had received an application for his conditional release, which would be entered into the record. The accused offered no remarks when questioned about the circumstances of his transfer and detention. At the conclusion of the session, the Court set the upcoming procedural dates; the First Status Conference is scheduled for January 2026, and the date for the confirmation of charges hearing was set for May 16, 2026. The Prosecution was directed to begin the process of evidence disclosure before December 11, 2025. The hearing was concluded after all required procedures were completed, with the Judge thanking all participants and the technical and organizational staff.
