Libya’s Chief of Judicial Police, Osama “Al Masri” Njeem, was arrested in Italy on January 19 on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant and returned to Libya on an Italian government plane. Two days later, he was released due to “inaccuracies” in the warrant, as stated by the Italian government. Njeem is accused by the ICC of crimes committed in his role overseeing the Tripoli branch of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution, a network of detention centers run by the government-backed Special Defence Force (SDF). Amnesty International has identified Njeem as a long-term member of the Tripoli-based militia, the Deterrence Apparatus for Combatting Terrorism and Organized Crime (DACTO), which is one of several militias relied upon by the internationally recognized Tripoli government to maintain power in western Libya.
Al Jazeera interviewed two individuals who were held in prisons overseen by Njeem, who reported witnessing atrocities and war crimes committed by him. The accusations against Njeem include murder, torture, and people trafficking. His release has been condemned by rights groups and political figures in Italy. The Italian government initially cited the danger Njeem posed to Italian society as the reason for his release, but later claimed it was due to a legal technicality.
Njeem is accused by the ICC of controlling several prison facilities in Tripoli where thousands of individuals were detained for prolonged periods. He is suspected of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape, and sexual violence. Survivors like David Yambio and Lam Magok have shared their harrowing experiences of abuse, torture, and forced labor at the hands of Njeem and his associates in Libyan detention centers.
The release of Njeem has sparked outrage and criticism in Italy, with many questioning the decision to release a suspected war criminal. Njeem’s brutal actions and the suffering of those held in detention centers under his control highlight the lack of accountability and justice in Libya. Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have documented the horrific violations and abuses committed at these facilities, with little hope of domestic accountability for those responsible.