Italy defends expulsion of Libyan war crimes suspect

Italy has defended its decision to unexpectedly release a Libya man wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes, citing “social dangerousness” as the reason for his release.

According to Al-Jazeera on January 23nd, Osama Elmasry Njeem, a prison officer who is suspected of committing for crimes including murder, torture and rape, was detained in Turin under an arrest warrant issued by the ICC, before being released two days later.

Human rights groups have called Njeem’s release a breach of the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding treaty of which Italy is a party to, with article 89 obligating Italy to arrest and surrender those wanted by the court, according to Middle East Eye.

Al-Jazeera, Middle East Eye