Victims of Libyan war crimes suspect express dismay, fear after Italy frees him

30/1/2025 6:20

Migrants expressed their dismay and sense of betrayal on Wednesday over Italy's decision last week to release a Libyan policeman wanted by the nternational Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and human rights abuses and allow him to return home.



One of the migrants said he still had nightmares every night because of what he suffered at the hands of Osama Elmasry Njeem.



The ICC accuses Njeem of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape and sexual violence, allegedly committed in Libya from February 2015. Several of his alleged victims are believed to have been migrants.



Njeem, who has not publicly commented on the accusations, was arrested in Italy on Jan. 19 on an ICC warrant but two days later was freed and flown back to Libya on a government plane, officially because of a procedural fault with his arrest.