ROME: Judges have requested permission from Italy’s parliament to bring proceedings against two government ministers over the release of a Libyan wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), reports said Wednesday.
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio is accused of failing to perform his official duties and also, alongside Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, of aiding and abetting Osama Almasri Najim’s return to Libya.
Najim, head of Libya’s judicial police, was arrested in the northern Italian city of Turin on January 19 on an ICC warrant, only to be released by Rome’s Court of Appeal two days later and immediately flown to Tripoli on an Italian air force plane.
He is accused of charges including murder, rape and torture relating to his management of Tripoli’s Mitiga detention center, and his release sparked a major political row in Italy.
Allegations that Meloni and her ministers acted improperly have been under consideration by a special court that deals with ministerial cases.
Meloni revealed on Monday she had been cleared of any wrongdoing.
But the court has now requested permission from parliament’s Chamber of Deputies to bring a case against her ministers — although this will almost certainly be denied, as Meloni’s coalition government has a majority.
According to Italian news agencies, Nordio is accused of failing to comply with ICC requests over the arrest of Najim, and effectively standing by when he could have intervened to keep the Libyan in prison.
Piantedosi and under-secretary Alfredo Mantovano, who is responsible for the intelligence service, are both also accused of aiding and abetting Najim’s release, and also of complicit embezzlement.
Piantedosi ordered the Libyan’s expulsion from Italy and Mantovano ordered the use of a state plane to send him home, despite, like Nordio, being fully aware of the requests for cooperation from the ICC, according to the court.
Meloni on Monday said the judges had cleared her, making what she called the “absurd” conclusion that she was not informed about the decisions on Najim.
She defended the government’s actions, saying they were entirely focused on “protecting the safety of Italians.”
Nordio has previously said the ICC warrant was badly drafted, while Piantedosi claimed that once Najim had been released from prison he was too dangerous to remain in Italy.
Piantedosi also denied allegations by some opposition politicians that the suspect was sent home to avoid jeopardizing relations with Libya.
Italy ministers accused over release of Libyan official
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Italy ministers accused over release of Libyan official
- Najim, head of Libya’s judicial police, was arrested in the northern Italian city of Turin on January 19 on an ICC warrant, only to be released by Rome’s Court of Appeal two days later and immediately flown to Tripoli on an Italian air force plane
US-Israeli attack violates international law: South Africa
- Ramaphosa “calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to act in a manner consistent with international law,” a statement said
- Ramaphosa “reiterates his call for intensified diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions”
JOHANNESBURG: The US and Israeli strikes on Iran Saturday violated international law, South Africa’s president said, calling for restraint and dialogue.
The allies launched the attack citing “threats” from Iran, which retaliated with a barrage of missiles aimed at Gulf states that host US bases, and at Israel.
President Cyril Ramaphosa “calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to act in a manner consistent with international law, international humanitarian law and the principles of the United Nations Charter,” a statement said.
The UN Charter states that self-defense can only be invoked when a state has been subjected to an armed invasion, the statement from his office said.
It condemned “international law violations,” saying: “Anticipatory self-defense is not permitted under international law and self-defense cannot be based on assumption or anticipation.”
Ramaphosa “reiterates his call for intensified diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and create space for continued meaningful negotiations,” the statement said.
US President Donald Trump said Washington’s goal was “eliminating imminent threats” from Iran, while Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation was to remove an “existential threat.”
