Prosecutors in Rome have initiated a probe targeting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and two cabinet ministers regarding the deportation of a Libyan warlord sought by the International Criminal Court in the Hague, as announced by the premier on Tuesday. In a social media video, Meloni disclosed the investigation concerning alleged assistance to Ossama Anjiem, also referred to as Ossama al-Masri.
She indicated that her justice and interior ministers, along with an under-secretary, are also subjects of the investigation. The Meloni administration has faced criticism from opposition parties, human rights organisations, and the ICC following al-Masri’s release on procedural grounds after his arrest in Turin on an international court warrant.
The investigation is centred around Osama Najim, also known as Almasri, the chief of Libya’s judicial police and head of the controversial Mitiga prison, who was arrested in Turin, Italy, on an ICC warrant for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, rape, and murder. However, he was released and returned to Libya due to “procedural technicality”. The ICC announced on Wednesday that Najim had been freed from detention and sent back to Libya, “without prior notice or consultation with the court”, as reported by Guardian News.
His release has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and human rights advocates, who accuse the Italian government of undermining justice and prioritizing political interests with Libya. Najim’s return to Libya was celebrated, while Italy’s involvement in a 2017 pact with Libya, funding its coastguard despite allegations of abuses against migrants, has faced renewed scrutiny.
