Libyan warlord, released by Meloni's government, arrested in Tripoli
Kyiv • UNN
Libyan military official Osama Al-Masri Njim, released from prison by Italy in January, has been arrested in Tripoli. He is accused of torture and violence against prisoners, including the death of one inmate.
Libyan military official Osama Al-Masri Njim, who was released from prison by Italian authorities in January, was arrested in Tripoli on Wednesday on charges of torture and violence against prisoners. This is reported by UNN with reference to Politico.
Details
As sufficient evidence has been gathered to substantiate the charges, the public prosecutor has referred the accused to court, where he remains in custody pending a verdict.
It is added that the investigation into Al-Masri revealed "violations of the rights of prisoners in Tripoli's main correctional and rehabilitation facility," including the torture of at least 10 prisoners and "the death of one prisoner as a result of torture."
Al-Masri, long known as a key figure in Libya's Mitiga prison, was previously arrested in Turin on January 19 after attending a Juventus football match on an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, which accused him of war crimes, torture, murder, and sexual violence.
Despite these accusations, Italy released him 48 hours later, which caused outrage in Rome and prompted the Council of Ministers to launch an investigation into Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, and Cabinet Secretary Alfredo Mantovano on charges of facilitating Al-Masri's return to Libya.
The investigation was finally rejected by the lower house of the Italian parliament, where the government has a majority, in early October.
Critics of the government accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration of returning Al-Masri to Libya to protect Italian energy interests and prevent potential retaliatory measures, including threats to limit cooperation on migration control.
The Italian government, for its part, defended the decision, recognizing it as a matter of legal procedure and national security.
On November 2, Rome and Tripoli extended the Memorandum of Understanding between Italy and Libya for three years, an agreement under which the Libyan coast guard will block the departure of migrants from the African continent.
Addition
A Libyan delegation arrived in Beirut for negotiations on the release of Hannibal Gaddafi, the son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who has been in a Lebanese prison since 2015 without a court decision.
Three prisoners of the French La Santé prison are under investigation due to a video with death threats against former President Nicolas Sarkozy. The Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into the death threats, and Sarkozy intends to file a civil lawsuit.