Italy Drops Case Against PM Meloni Over Release of ICC-Wanted Libyan Officer

An Italian judicial body has dropped its investigation into Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over the controversial release of a Libyan police officer wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Meloni announced Monday.

The case stemmed from the January release of Osama Elmasry Njeem, who was detained in Turin under an ICC arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and rape. Just days after his arrest, Njeem was flown back to Libya aboard an Italian government aircraft.

Meloni had been under investigation for allegedly aiding and abetting a crime and misuse of public funds. “The judges dismissed the case only against me,” she posted on social media platform X. However, she noted that the investigation remains open for three senior officials in her government: Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, and Cabinet Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano.

Meloni defended her team, writing: “This government acts cohesively under my leadership: every decision, especially one so important, is agreed upon. It is therefore absurd to request that Piantedosi, Nordio and Mantovano stand trial, but not myself.”

The ICC has been probing war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Libya since a 2011 UN Security Council referral. In February, Justice Minister Nordio told parliament that Italy had been forced to release Njeem due to “mistakes and inaccuracies” in the arrest warrant.

The case has stirred political and legal controversy in Italy, raising questions about the government’s coordination and handling of international legal obligations.