ROME — On Saturday, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni responded to escalating criticism over the repatriation of Libyan warlord Ossama Anjiem, who is sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Meloni cited an appeals court ruling and highlighted national security concerns as reasons for the decision.
The transfer of Anjiem back to Libya, where he plays a crucial role in assisting Europe in monitoring migrant crossings in the Mediterranean Sea, has sparked indignation from human rights organizations and raised questions among opposition parties in Italy.
Meloni announced that her government intends to seek an explanation from the ICC regarding the extended duration it took to release the arrest warrant for Anjiem, also known as Ossama al-Masri, and why this warrant was issued only after he had traveled through multiple European nations.
“Al-Masri’s release was granted by an order from Rome’s Court of Appeal… It was not a decision made by the government,” Meloni stated to reporters during her visit to Saudi Arabia.
Italy maintains strong connections with Libya’s internationally recognized government situated in Tripoli, relying heavily on it for coastal patrols and curbing migrant departures. A trial against al-Masri in The Hague could bring adverse scrutiny to Italy’s migration strategies and its ongoing support for Libya’s coast guard.
Al-Masri leads the Tripoli section of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution, a notorious set of detention facilities overseen by the government-backed Special Deterrence Forces. He was detained on Sunday in Turin, where he reportedly attended a high-profile football match between Juventus and Milan the previous evening.
The ICC’s arrest warrant, issued a day prior to his capture, alleges that al-Masri is responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity that took place in Mitiga prison since 2015, actions that could result in life sentence imprisonment. The accusations include murder, torture, rape, and sexual violence against individuals held in the prison, which houses political dissidents, migrants, and others.
For years, human rights organizations have chronicled abuses occurring in Libyan detention centers where migrants are detained.
The ICC announced that the arrest warrant was sent to member countries, including Italy, and urged Rome to reach out promptly if it encountered obstacles in adhering to the warrant.
Despite this, Italy’s court of appeals mandated al-Masri’s release on Tuesday, citing a “procedural error” surrounding his detention. The ruling indicated that Justice Minister Carlo Nordio should have been informed prior, as the ministry is responsible for handling relations with the ICC.
Following his release, al-Masri was flown back to Libya on a plane operated by the Italian intelligence services.
The ICC expressed that it had not been informed beforehand about the appeals court’s ruling, which is a requirement for such actions, and stated that it has yet to receive confirmation from the authorities regarding the measures reportedly taken.
Meloni asserted that the Italian government, “confronted with a hazardous individual, made the decision to expel him immediately and, as is often the case with dangerous inmates who are returned, did not use a regular flight for passenger safety.”
She assured that Italy would provide all necessary information to the ICC.
In light of these developments, opposition parties have urged Meloni to deliver an urgent explanation regarding this “very serious” situation, with some calling for the resignation of the justice minister.
