Latest news with #OsamaNajim
Libya Review
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Libya Crimes Watch Demands Libya Hand Over Osama Najim to ICC
Libya Crimes Watch (LCW) has strongly criticised the Libyan authorities for their continued failure to implement arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), particularly in the case of Osama Najim, the former director of Mitiga Prison, who is wanted for crimes against humanity. In a statement issued on 16 July, the human rights organisation voiced 'profound concern' over what it described as a lack of political will to cooperate with international justice mechanisms. LCW warned that the Libyan judiciary remains subject to political interference, hindering any serious effort to hold perpetrators of grave violations accountable. Osama Najim is the subject of an ICC arrest warrant issued in January 2025. He is accused of overseeing a range of severe human rights abuses at Mitiga Prison, including torture, rape, unlawful detention, and other crimes committed between 2015 and 2023. Despite the ICC's public warrant and mounting international calls, the Libyan government has not acted to arrest or surrender him. LCW has called on Libyan authorities to fulfil their obligations under international law and immediately surrender Najim and others wanted by the ICC. The group also urged State Parties to the Rome Statute to increase pressure on Libya through both legal and diplomatic channels to enforce the Court's decisions. In addition, LCW called on the ICC to reconsider its application of the 'principle of complementarity', arguing that Libya's national judiciary has proven incapable of delivering independent or effective justice in such cases. The group concluded that continued impunity for figures like Najim undermines prospects for justice, accountability, and long-term stability in Libya. Tags: iccLCWlibyaOsama NajimWar Crimes
Libya Review
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Libya Refuses to Hand Over Security Official to ICC
The Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU) has announced its rejection of a request to extradite Osama Najim, a senior officer in the Judicial Police, to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Tripoli-based government argued that the ICC has failed to present sufficient evidence to support its allegations and affirmed that Libya's national judiciary is capable of handling the case. In a statement issued on Sunday, the Ministry of Justice confirmed it had lifted procedural restrictions on Najim, in accordance with legal protocols and at the request of the Libyan Attorney General. The ministry also published a document confirming that Najim appeared for questioning on 24 April. The Justice Ministry underlined that the ICC prosecutor has not submitted any evidence to Libyan authorities to support the charges against Najim. Furthermore, it stressed that Libya is not a signatory to the Rome Statute and therefore is not obligated to hand over its citizens to international courts. 'No Libyan citizen will be extradited outside national jurisdiction,' the statement read. Najim faces 12 serious charges from the ICC, including murder, torture, rape, and crimes against humanity allegedly committed at Mitiga Prison in Tripoli, where he oversaw the detention of thousands of individuals since 2015. The charges include violations of personal dignity, cruel treatment, and persecution. Najim was briefly detained in Italy in January 2025 under an ICC warrant but was released and returned to Libya within two days due to what authorities called 'procedural flaws' in the extradition request. The move triggered sharp criticism from international human rights groups and members of the Italian parliament. The GNU's position is expected to spark renewed debate over Libya's commitment to international justice and its willingness to address allegations of systemic abuse in its detention centres. Tags: iccInterpollibyaOsama NajimWar Crimes
Libya Review
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Libya Opens Probe into ICC-Wanted Security Official Osama Najim
Libya's Public Prosecution has launched an official investigation into Osama Najim, a senior security official long accused of grave human rights violations and wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to sources cited by Al Jazeera News. Najim, formerly in charge of Tripoli's Mitiga Prison under the Special Deterrence Force (Al-Radaa), is accused of overseeing serious abuses including torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. He was briefly detained at Rome airport on an Interpol warrant, but was later released and deported to Libya by Italian authorities—sparking fierce criticism from Italian lawmakers who have called for the resignation of Justice Minister Carlo Nordio over the decision. The probe into Najim coincides with the unexpected release of several long-detained inmates from Mitiga Prison, some of whom had been acquitted years earlier but were not released. These developments have raised questions about whether Libya is beginning to dismantle what activists call a 'parallel security state,' or if these are merely symbolic actions in response to mounting international pressure. Sources confirmed that Najim lost his immunity and was referred to prosecutors with the coordination of the same security force he once commanded. His arrest follows a January 2025 ICC warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, and torture—charges based on documented testimonies and complaints from victims unable to seek justice domestically. Human rights groups have expressed cautious optimism but remain sceptical. Local NGO 'Crime Watch Libya' confirmed it holds extensive documentation of abuses under Najim's command, while international rights defenders continue to urge Libya to surrender him to the ICC. The case has once again placed Libya's human rights record under international scrutiny, highlighting systemic failures in its justice system and deep-rooted impunity within the security establishment. Tags: iccInterpollibyaOsama Najim
Libya Review
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
ICC Accuses Italy of Violating International Law Over Libyan Suspect
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has formally accused Italy of breaching its legal obligations by failing to hand over Libyan national Osama Najim, despite an active international arrest warrant. Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan criticised the Italian government's decision to extradite Najim to the Libyan authorities rather than complying with the ICC's warrant. In a legal filing, Khan urged the court to declare Italy in 'formal non-compliance' and to refer the matter to either the Assembly of States Parties or the UN Security Council. According to the Italian newspaper Domani, Rome refused the ICC's request to arrest and surrender Najim. The ICC has argued that Italy favoured an 'unlawful' Libyan request and failed to inform the court in a timely manner, describing the incident as a 'dangerous precedent'. Najim was arrested on 19 January based on the ICC warrant, as reported by La Stampa. However, within days, he was transferred to Libyan custody, sparking outrage among international human rights organisations. Amnesty International responded by urging Italy to fulfil its legal duties. In a 21 January statement, the organisation emphasised that all countries party to the Rome Statute must comply with arrest and surrender obligations issued by the ICC. The case has triggered legal and diplomatic concerns, as Najim is wanted in connection with alleged serious crimes under international law. The exact charges remain sealed, but the court insists on his immediate surrender. The ICC's criticism of a European Union member state underscores growing concerns about the enforcement of international justice in politically sensitive cases. Libya's involvement, and Italy's cooperation with Libyan authorities, may now come under increased scrutiny from the international community.
Libya Observer
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Libya Observer
12 criminal charges, including murder and rape, await Najim at ICC
The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Sunday published the arrest warrant issued by its Prosecutor against Osama Najim, a senior official in Libya's Judicial Police, listing 12 charges including murder and rape that await him upon appearing before the court. Najim, who oversaw prisons in Tripoli where thousands were held for extended periods, is suspected of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes—among them intentional killings, torture, rape, and sexual violence—dating back to February 2015, according to the ICC's official website. The arrest warrant outlines the war crimes and crimes against humanity attributed to Najim under the Rome Statute, including: violations of personal dignity, cruel treatment, torture, rape and sexual violence, intentional homicide, unlawful imprisonment, persecution, among others. These crimes were allegedly committed at Mitiga Prison from February 15, 2015 onward. The ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber concluded that these crimes were committed by Najim personally, on his orders, or with assistance from members of the Special Deterrence Force (Radaa), officially known as the Deterrence Apparatus for Combating Organized Crime and Terrorism. In coordination with the Office of the Prosecutor and under the authority of the Pre-Trial Chamber, the ICC Registry submitted arrest requests to six State Parties, including Italy. The court also transmitted intelligence regarding Najim's suspected location and movements within the Schengen Area. Concurrently, it requested INTERPOL to issue a Red Notice, as per standard procedure. According to the ICC, Najim was located in Turin, Italy, in the early hours of Sunday, January 19. Italian authorities successfully arrested him and held him pending completion of national procedures related to his arrest and handover. The ICC declined to comment further at the time, respecting Italy's request for confidentiality. The court noted, however, that Najim was unexpectedly released and allowed to return to Libya on January 21. The ICC has since sought clarification from the Italian authorities regarding the reasons behind his release, reminding all State Parties of their obligation to fully cooperate with the court in its investigations and prosecutions.
