Rome — Italy’s judiciary has cleared Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, of criminal responsibility over the controversial release of a Libyan national accused of crimes against humanity, even as investigations into key members of her cabinet continue.
The ruling, issued Monday by Rome prosecutors, dismissed allegations that Meloni unlawfully approved the repatriation of Osama Elmasry Njeem, a Libyan police officer wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for torture, rape, and murder of migrants. The court found insufficient grounds to pursue charges of aiding and abetting crimes or misuse of public funds against the prime minister.
Meloni, who had been at the center of a political firestorm since the incident in January, publicly welcomed the court’s decision. “The case is dismissed, as it should have been from the start,” she wrote on X, calling it “an attempt to intimidate and delegitimize the work of the government.”
While Meloni exits the legal spotlight, her close allies remain under scrutiny. Investigators are continuing proceedings against Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, and Cabinet Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano. All three were allegedly involved in the rapid and covert decision to put Njeem on an Italian state aircraft bound for Libya without formally notifying the ICC.
Njeem had been detained in Italy after arriving on a migrant boat. Despite an outstanding arrest warrant from The Hague, the Italian government claimed he was “not immediately identifiable,” a claim critics call absurd given the widespread international attention on the suspect. The government’s decision to release him, critics argue, reflects a cynical prioritization of diplomatic ties with Libya over international justice and migrant rights.
Human rights organizations condemned the move as a betrayal of Italy’s legal obligations under the Rome Statute and the Geneva Conventions. The ICC itself was reportedly caught off guard by Njeem’s release, prompting informal diplomatic complaints.
The affair has cast a shadow over Italy’s already controversial migration policies and raised broader questions about the Meloni government’s commitment to the rule of law. Opposition parties have described the decision to release Njeem as “a disgrace” and accused the government of undermining international accountability.
In Libya, Njeem is believed to be operating freely, protected by the same security networks accused of profiting from human trafficking and detaining migrants in inhumane conditions. Observers warn that Italy’s failure to cooperate fully with international justice mechanisms risks emboldening warlords and rights abusers in North Africa.
According to Reuters, prosecutors concluded there was “no criminal liability” on Meloni’s part. However, the court made no such exoneration for the other three officials, whose actions during the January repatriation remain under legal review.
