ROME: Human rights organisations and Italian opposition politicians expressed their indignation on Wednesday after Italy freed a Libyan warlord on a technicality after he was detained on an International Criminal Court warrant charging him with crimes against humanity and war crimes. During a previously planned Senate appearance, Justice Minister Carlo Nordio was questioned regarding the release of Ossama Anjiem, also known as Ossama Al-Masri, on Tuesday. Several requests for information regarding the release and for Nordio to reiterate Italy’s commitment to enforcing international justice were not answered.
Al-Masri is in charge of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution in Tripoli, an infamous network of prisons operated by the Special Defence Force, which is supported by the government. He faces life in jail for war crimes and crimes against humanity he perpetrated in Libya’s Mitiga prison beginning in 2011, according to the ICC warrant, which was issued on January 18 and cited in Italian court documents.
Al-Masri was taken into custody on Sunday in Turin, where he had allegedly gone to the Juventus vs. Milan soccer game the previous evening.
He was transferred back to Libya on an Italian secret services plane after Rome’s court of appeals approved his release on Tuesday, citing what the court claimed was a procedural error in his detention.
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