Italian PM under investigation for release of Libyan war criminal
Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, is under investigation for the release of a Libyan official accused of war crimes by the ICC.
Al Jazeera reported on January 28th that Rome’s chief prosecutor has placed Meloni under investigation for allegedly “aiding and abetting a crime and misuse of public funds” by releasing Osama Almasri Njeem.
Mr Njeem is the head of a notorious network of Libyan detention centres run by the government-backed Special Defence Force and is wanted by the ICC on charges including murder, rape and sexual violence, and torture committed since February 2015.
Mr Njeem was arrested in Turin but released two days later before being flown back to Tripoli on an Italian state aircraft, despite the ICC warrant.
The ICC demanded an explanation, saying “it had not been consulted over the decision to let Njeem go,” as well as Italian opposition parties but the Italian interior minister told parliament that Njeem had been repatriated for “reasons of state security”.
Meloni has pushed back against the allegations of wrongdoing from Rome, saying she “will not be blackmailed” and “will not be intimated over an investigation,” but the pressure on the Italian government mounts as opposition leaders have ridiculed and recalled Interior minister Piantedosi and Justice minister Nordio for further information on what happened in this case.
Italy is dependent on Libyan authorities to stem the flow of migrant crossings from North Africa to Europe, and many have alluded to the series of deals between the two states as a motivating factor for Njeem’s swift repatriation.
Deals between Italy, the EU, and Libya have been criticised by multiple human rights organisations for facilitating the torture and abuses at migrant detention centres in Libya.
As the ICC’s international legitimacy at an all-time low, Italy’s recent release of a Libyan prison officer with an ICC warrant is the latest blow to the court.
Al Jazeera
