Competing Priorities

Italy’s government came under fire this week for releasing a Libyan warlord wanted by the International Court of Justice (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing procedural errors in his arrest, even as critics pointed to Italian dependence on Libyan cooperation to control migrant flows, Politico reported.

On Sunday, Italian police arrested Ossama Anjiem, head of Libya’s judicial police, in Turin on an ICC warrant.

Anjiem – also known as Ossama al-Masri – is accused of overseeing murder, torture, rape, and other abuses in Libya’s notorious Mitiga prison since 2015.

Despite the seriousness of the charges, an Italian appeals court ordered his release Tuesday, saying that the Justice Ministry had not been consulted prior to his detention. Anjiem was promptly flown back to Tripoli on an Italian government plane.

Human rights groups swiftly condemned the decision, with Amnesty International describing it a “stunning blow to victims, survivors … and a missed opportunity to break the cycle of impunity in Libya,” according to the Associated Press.

Opposition politicians accused the government of failing to uphold Italy’s obligations under the Rome Statute, which it helped to create and establish the ICC.

Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi also called Meloni’s administration “hypocritical,” noting its public stance against human trafficking while releasing a figure accused of gross human rights violations.

The ICC, angry at the release, according to AP, said Italy had failed to inform the ICC of the court’s decision to release the suspect as required, and stressed that all member states are required to cooperate with its prosecutions.

Critics highlighted Italy’s reliance on the Libyan government to control migration flows across the Mediterranean, with some suggesting the release was a calculated move to protect this cooperation.

Last year, irregular boat landings dropped by more than 60 percent following Meloni’s efforts to secure agreements with North African governments.