Italy’s Justice Minister Carlo Nordio has defended the country’s decision to release Libyan officer Osama Elmasry Njeem, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes, citing “inaccuracies, omissions, discrepancies and contradictory conclusions” in the court’s arrest warrant, Al Jazeera reports.
Njeem, head of the Tripoli branch of Libya’s Reform and Rehabilitation Institution, a network of notorious detention centers, was detained in Turin in January based on an ICC warrant accusing him of murder, torture, and rape of detainees. However, he was flown back to Tripoli just two days later, sparking international criticism and a legal investigation into top Italian officials.
The ICC, investigating serious crimes committed in Libya since its 2011 civil war, demanded an explanation from Italy, alleging a lack of consultation prior to Njeem’s release.
Minister Nordio told parliament on Wednesday that the warrant contained significant “uncertainty,” specifically pointing to conflicting dates regarding the alleged crimes. He noted that while the warrant initially cited abuses committed between 2015 and 2024, it later referenced crimes dating back to 2011. The ICC has since corrected the error by publicly unsealing the warrant.
Adding to the explanation, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi stated that Njeem was subsequently expelled from Italy because he was considered a security risk. He vehemently denied accusations from opposition leaders that Njeem had cooperated with Italy on migrant control, or that Rome faced external pressure to release him.
Italy has maintained an agreement with the UN-backed Libyan Government of National Unity in Tripoli since 2017, providing training and funding to the Libyan coast guard to deter migrant departures or return those already at sea to Libya.
The ministers’ explanations have been met with strong opposition. Critics are demanding Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni address parliament personally to clarify the government’s actions.
Meloni, along with Nordio, Piantedosi, and cabinet undersecretary for intelligence matters Alfredo Mantovano, are currently under investigation by Rome’s chief prosecutor, Francesco Lo Voi, over allegations of aiding and abetting a crime and misusing public funds. All four have denied the accusations, accusing Lo Voi of political bias.
Further complicating the situation, a South Sudanese migrant filed a complaint in Rome on Monday, accusing Njeem of torture while detained at the Mitiga detention centre near Tripoli. The complaint names Meloni and the two ministers as implicated in the alleged torture due to their actions surrounding Njeem’s release.
