Libyan General Osama Najim, known as Almasri, was arrested Sunday in Turin, Italy, under an international warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. Najim was Libya’s former chief of judicial police and former director of Mitiga prison, charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other serious offenses that include rape and murder. He is associated with a notorious prison near Tripoli, infamous for mistreating political dissidents, migrants, and refugees.
The ICC reportedly received years of testimonies from those who suffered abuse at Mitiga prison as part of their investigation on his arrest. The general is said to have been in Turin for the Juventus vs. AC Milan football match when arrested at a hotel with other Libyans. Detention follows Interpol tipoff. Italy’s Justice Minister, Carlo Nordio, is considering whether to forward the ICC’s request to Rome’s attorney general.
Detainees, according to various reports, have been known to witness some of Libya’s most notorious practice in detention as Najim was implicated in it. Human rights bodies have protested against the torture and forced labor cases in Mitiga prison, and the detention of Najim is the revelation about the intricacies involved between Italy and Libya, whose quite controversial agreement funds Libya’s coast guard, which stands accused of turning migrants back into camps they are abused in.
The case also points to a broader European and Libyan migrant crisis, where countries such as Italy have been accused of endorsing practices that force back refugees into harmful detention conditions. Italian journalist Nello Scavo highlighted Najim’s smuggling and violations of human rights in his book, Le Mani sulla Guardia Costiera.
The case has brought up questions about the role of European nations in migrant detainment policies and their consequences for international relations as Italy evaluates its legal steps.