The chief of Libya’s judicial police, Osama Almasri Najim, who has been accused of heinous crimes against migrants in Libyan detention centers for years, was arrested in Italy this past week──and released 2 days later under a cloud of international outrage.
Najim, was arrested on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant but released on a technicality and flown back to Libya by the Italian government.
The decision by Italian authorities has reignited concerns about the E.U.’s agreements with Libya to stem migration. Migrant rights advocates argue that it exposes a cynical calculus: Europe’s willingness to empower Libya to block migrant crossings at all costs, even if that means turning a blind eye to atrocities like modern slavery.
“a hypocritical, indecent government”
Najim had arrived in Italy as a tourist, reportedly to watch a football match and was arrested following a tip-off from Interpol.
Yet within 48 hours of his arrest, he was released after a Rome appeals court ruled there had been a procedural flaw in his detention. Najim was then flown back to Libya on a private jet organized by the Italian government. His supporters greeted him as a hero in Tripoli, with jubilant videos showing him carried on the shoulders of a cheering crowd.
Matteo Renzi, a former Italian prime minister, did not mince words, calling the episode “an image of a hypocritical, indecent government.” He added, “When a trafficker whom the ICC tells us is a dangerous criminal lands on your table, you don’t chase him down. Instead, you send him home on a plane belonging to the Italian secret services.”
A deadly agreement
The ICC, which had issued Najim’s arrest warrant, condemned Italy’s actions, stating, “The court is seeking, and is yet to obtain, verification from the authorities on the steps reportedly taken.” As a signatory to the ICC, Italy is legally obligated to cooperate with the court, but this incident raises serious concerns about its commitment to international justice.
This case is just the latest example of how Europe’s migration policy has created dangerous alliances with Libya. The agreements have included extensive training and funding for the Libyan coast guard, which intercepts migrant boats attempting to cross the Mediterranean. These deals, critics say, have come at an unconscionable cost. Migrants intercepted by the coast guard are sent to detention centers like Mitiga, where they face extortion, forced labor, torture, and sexual violence.
According to The Telegraph,
Had Njeem been put on trial, it could have exposed awkward details of the close cooperation between the Italian government and the nexus of Libyan warlords, militia chiefs and coast guard commanders who stop migrant boats from trying to reach Europe.
The E.U. must end its agreement with Libya
Najim’s release is more than a judicial failure—it’s a damning indictment of Europe’s reliance on Libyan authorities to curb migration. This decision reflects a system that prioritizes blocking migration over protecting human rights, even when it means enabling trafficking and abuse.
Join us in calling on the E.U. to end its agreements with Libya and take meaningful action to ensure that migration policies uphold, rather than undermine, human dignity.
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You seem to have forgotten the Freedom to stop ILLEGAL MIGRATION somewhere down the line. Pathetic.
The problem is beyond child marriage, that is just one part of the puzzle… when extreme Islamic practices will be commented critically and sanctioned accordingly by the civilized world?