Archive · 5 Nov 2025
Libya Detains Police Officer After Italy Repatriated Him Amid War Crimes Charges
A police chief named Osama Almasri Njeem was accused of very bad things, like hurting and even killing people who were in prison in Libya.
He is also accused of rape.
He was arrested in Italy because other countries thought he committed war crimes.
However, the Italian government let him go very quickly and sent him back to Libya.
This made many people upset, including the people who investigate war crimes.
Now, Libya has said they have arrested him again in Libya and will put him on trial there for the crimes he is accused of.
It's like Italy caught someone and then let them go, and now their home country has caught them.
Libya announced the detention of senior police officer Osama Almasri Njeem, who is facing war crimes charges.
Njeem is accused of torture, cruel and degrading treatment of inmates, and murder at Mitiga Prison in Tripoli since February 2015.
Italy arrested Njeem in January on international war crimes charges but released him and repatriated him to Libya within days.
The Italian government stated Njeem's release was on procedural grounds, denying claims of a deal to control migrant flows.
Libya's attorney general confirmed Njeem's pretrial detention, citing sufficient evidence for the charges against him.
- Who
- Libya's attorney general's office has detained senior police officer Osama Almasri Njeem, who was previously arrested and repatriated by Italy.
- What
- Njeem is detained on charges of torture and cruel, degrading treatment, and murder of inmates, with allegations including rape. This follows his earlier arrest and repatriation by Italy under controversial circumstances.
- When
- Njeem was detained in Libya and reported on Wednesday. His arrest in Italy was in January, with repatriation shortly thereafter. The alleged crimes in Libya date back to February 2015.
- Where
- Njeem is currently detained in Libya. The alleged crimes occurred at Mitiga Prison in Tripoli. His prior arrest was in Turin, Italy.
- Why
- Libya detained Njeem due to allegations of torture, cruel and degrading treatment of inmates, and the death of one inmate as a result of torture. Italy released him on procedural grounds despite war crimes charges, sparking controversy.
- Accused Official
- Osama Almasri Njeem
- Alleged Crimes
- Murder and torture of detainees, including rape
- Location of Alleged Crimes
- Mitiga Prison, Tripoli
- Alleged Timeframe
- From February 2015 onwards
- Previous Arrest
- Italy, January
- Repatriation by Italy
- Two days after arrest, on state aircraft
- Libyan Detention
- Reported Wednesday, currently in pretrial detention