January 21, 2025 05:57 PM (IST)
Italy-Libya/Arrest: Italy arrests Libyan police officer on ICC warrant
ROME – Italian authorities have arrested a senior Libyan judicial police official on a warrant from the International Criminal Court on suspicion of war crimes, a person familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
The man was arrested in the northern city of Turin, sources told Reuters, adding that the case had been sent to the Justice Ministry and Rome’s Court of Appeal.
Libyan authorities could not immediately be reached, and an ICC spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters.
Sources did not reveal the man’s name, but Italian media identified him as Nuzeem Osama Elamsley, while in Libya he is listed in government records as Osama Nyeem.
La Repubblica newspaper said the suspect was arrested at a hotel following a tip-off from the international police agency Interpol, where he was staying in Turin with other Libyans.
Italian daily Avenile, which first reported the arrest, said the man managed migrant detention centers in the capital Tripoli as part of his judicial police role and was part of the powerful military’s special deterrent force.
Italian migrant rescue charity Mediterrania welcomed the arrests and reiterated its criticism of a deal between Italy and the EU to help Libyan authorities stop migrants crossing the seas to Europe.
The agreement has been attacked by the United Nations, human rights experts and international charities such as Médecins Sans Frontières for aiding and abetting widespread abuse and exploitation of migrants in Libya.
This article was generated from the Automata news agency feed without any modifications to the text.
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