Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has revealed that she and two of her ministers are under judicial investigation. The probe targets Meloni, Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, and Under-secretary Alfredo Mantovani. The reason behind the investigation is Italy’s decision to release a Libyan national and warlord, Najeem Osema Almasri Habish, also known as Osama Njeem, who was wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Political Controversy
Meloni argued that Njeem had travelled through three European countries before arriving in Italy. She stated that it was only then that the ICC requested his arrest. Italy’s government relies heavily on Libyan security forces to prevent migrants from departing North Africa for southern Italy.
Critics accuse Meloni’s government of aligning too closely with Libyan authorities due to its reliance on Libya to curb migrant arrivals. The government denies these accusations, attributing Njeem’s release to procedural issues. According to Italian authorities, police arrested him before receiving an official request from the Justice Ministry, which invalidated the arrest. By the time the justice minister had completed the assessment of the ICC warrant, Njeem had already been sent back to Libya.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi defended his decision, saying, “Following the non-validation of the arrest, considering that the Libyan citizen presented a profile of social dangerousness, I adopted an expulsion order for reasons of state security.” He defended his actions, stating that he expelled Njeem “for urgent security reasons.”
A video on social media showed Njeem being carried on the shoulders of supporters upon his arrival at Mitiga Airport in Tripoli, further fueling the controversy.
Accusations Against Njeem
The ICC accuses Najeem Osema Almasri Habish of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed at Mitiga prison in Libya since 2015. The charges include murder, torture, rape, and sexual violence. The offences carry a life sentence. The ICC stated that the warrant was issued to member states, including Italy, on January 18. It also provided real-time updates on Njeem’s movements within Europe and reminded Italy to contact the court “without delay” if any issues arose in cooperating with the warrant.
Njeem is the head of the Tripoli branch of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution, a network of detention centres controlled by the Special Deterrence Forces (SDF), a government-backed militia. The SDF has been accused of committing atrocities during Libya’s civil war, which erupted after the overthrow of longtime Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.
Recently, the ICC’s chief prosecutor issued additional arrest warrants related to alleged crimes in Libya beyond the civil war, particularly in detention facilities where human rights organisations have documented abuses.
Why Meloni is Under Investigation?
Meloni’s government is facing criticism from the opposition, human rights groups, and the ICC for releasing Njeem on a technicality. Njeem had been arrested in Turin on January 19 under an ICC warrant. However, on January 21, he was expelled on a government plane after a court failed to confirm his arrest.
The investigation was triggered by a complaint filed by lawyer and former politician Luigi Li Gotti. In Italy, prosecutors are required to investigate complaints, but a preliminary hearing judge decides whether charges will be filed. This process can take months or even longer. Gotti stated, “What I did was a necessary act. I did it as a matter of dignity both for human rights and for all Italian citizens.”
Meloni’s Stand
Meloni explained that the ICC warrant was issued only after Njeem arrived in Italy. She added that the international arrest warrant had not been transferred to the Justice Ministry as required by law. Due to this, the Appeals Court in Rome decided not to confirm the arrest.
“At this point, this subject was free in Italian territory, and rather than letting him free, we decided to expel and repatriate him immediately for security reasons with a flight, as happens in other similar cases,” Meloni stated.
The ICC has demanded an explanation, saying it was not consulted before Njeem’s release. Meloni has pushed back against allegations of wrongdoing, saying she “will not be blackmailed” and “will not be intimidated over an investigation.”
In a defiant tone, Meloni has suggested that there are 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.
Meloni, is the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, and has been Italy’s Prime Minister since 2022, heading a right-wing coalition government. She has also been extremely 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.
The details of this case surfaced while Meloni had gone for the inauguration of US President elect Donald Trump. Some commentors are claiming that this is also a targeted attack on the Italian PM due to her leanings towards Trump. Although Meloni has a full control of the Italian Parliament, only time will tell how much this case will dent Meloni’s reputation and her politics in the long run.
