Libya Detains Senior Police Officer Repatriated by Italy Despite ICC War Crimes Charges
Njeem heads the Operations and Judicial Security Department within Libya’s Justice Ministry, aligned with the internationally recognized government in Tripoli
Libya has detained senior police officer Osama Almasri Njeem, months after Italy arrested and swiftly repatriated him despite international war crimes charges a move that sparked political controversy in Rome
According to the International Criminal Court (ICC), Njeem is accused of committing, ordering, or assisting in acts of murder, torture, and rape of detainees at Mitiga Prison in Tripoli from February 2015 onward
Libya’s Attorney General confirmed on Wednesday that Njeem is currently in pretrial detention, with sufficient evidence to support the charges. The statement detailed that investigators had interrogated him regarding “human rights violations against ten inmates and the death of one inmate as a result of torture”
Njeem heads the Operations and Judicial Security Department within Libya’s Justice Ministry, aligned with the internationally recognized government in Tripoli
He was arrested by Italian police in January 2025 while staying in a Turin hotel. However, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration ordered his release just two days later, citing procedural issues, and returned him to Libya aboard a state aircraft
The Italian government maintained that the arrest warrant had not been properly communicated and dismissed opposition claims that Njeem’s release was tied to cooperation over migrant control between Libya and Italy
The Rome Tribunal of Ministers later requested parliament to lift immunity for three ministers involved in the case, but Meloni’s ruling coalition holding a strong majority voted down the proposal. The ICC has since criticized Italy’s handling of the incident
Also read : Kenyan High Commission in Tanzania Assures Citizens of Safety Amid Post-Election Unrest
As of now, Italy has issued no comment on Njeem’s renewed detention in Libya
Libya, a major oil producer, has struggled with instability and division between rival eastern and western administrations since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ousted former leader Muammar Gaddafi
Writer : Mweru Mbugua
