Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has revealed that she is under judicial investigation following Italy’s controversial release of a Libyan citizen wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC). In a video posted on social media Tuesday, Meloni stated that prosecutors are investigating her for embezzlement and aiding and abetting a crime.
The individual at the center of the case, Osama Najim (also known as Almasri), is the head of Libya’s judicial police and director of the notorious Mitiga detention center near Tripoli.
Najim was arrested in Italy on January 21, but was unexpectedly released days later due to what the interior ministry described as a “legal technicality.” The ICC, which said it was not consulted in the matter, quickly issued a new arrest warrant and demanded an explanation from the Italian authorities.
In her video, Meloni explained that the Rome appeals court released Najim because the ICC’s arrest warrant had not been sent to the Italian justice ministry. “At that point, to prevent him from being freed on Italian soil, we decided to expel him and immediately send him back to Libya on a special flight,” Meloni said.
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio had previously stated that Najim was expelled due to the “danger” he posed, a statement that faced criticism from the opposition. The decision to release Najim sparked widespread condemnation from the opposition and human rights groups like Amnesty International, which accused him of committing “horrific violations with total impunity.” Videos showing a jubilant crowd greeting Najim in Tripoli upon his return only heightened the outrage.
Meloni confirmed that Nordio, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, and cabinet undersecretary for intelligence Alfredo Mantovano are also under investigation. It’s important to note that being under investigation in Italy does not necessarily mean formal charges will follow.
In a defiant tone, Meloni suggested political motivations behind the investigation. She pointed out that the lawyer who filed the complaint, Luigi Li Gotti, was a former left-wing politician, and that the prosecutor leading the case, Francesco Lo Voi, had previously investigated Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini on an unrelated matter.
“I will not be blackmailed or intimidated,” Meloni said in the video. “This may be why I’m unpopular among those who don’t want Italy to change and improve. But that’s exactly why I will continue, with my head held high, to protect Italians, especially when the nation’s safety is at stake.”
Opposition leader Matteo Renzi, from the Italy Alive (IV) party, accused Meloni of using the investigation to fuel her “victim complex.”
Meloni, leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, has been Italy’s Prime Minister since 2022, heading a right-wing coalition government. She has been vocal in her pledge to crack down on immigration and to stop migrant boats from reaching Italy’s shores, focusing on halting illegal departures and human trafficking.
Like her predecessors, Meloni has worked closely with Libyan authorities and militias, providing financial and technical support under agreements aimed at curbing illegal immigration, including training the Libyan coast guard to intercept migrant boats.
