The Italian government provided its version of events in the case of Osama Njeem Almasri’s deportation, an alleged Libyan war criminal, Euractiv reported.
The country deported Almasri despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued against him. The absence of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also drew attention.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and Justice Minister Carlo Nordio told the lower house of parliament about Almasri’s arrest and subsequent deportation despite an outstanding ICC warrant for crimes against humanity.
Meanwhile, Meloni, who along with Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano and two ministers is under investigation for aiding and abetting and embezzlement in connection with the case, decided not to attend.
Nordio attributed the incident to an alleged bureaucratic miscommunication. He said the police department’s report on Almasri’s arrest came to the Interior Ministry after the arrest had already taken place, without a prior extradition request from the ICC.
The minister also criticised Interpol, accusing it of sending “an absolutely informal notification, lacking identifying details and the relevant warrant or its justification.”
Not even the extradition request was attached.
Nordio also blasted the national judiciary, accusing a “certain faction” of criticising the government’s actions “without even reading the files.” Piantedosi, meanwhile, rejected any suggestion of pressure or coercion on the part of the government to release Almasri.
However, their statements and Meloni’s absence drew sharp criticism from the opposition. Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein accused Nordio of acting “not as a minister, but as a defence attorney for a torturer.” Former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte blamed Meloni for double standards.
I can’t believe it: Meloni, did you really make a post to denounce that “immigration cannot be left at the mercy of crime”? That is, you run away from Parliament so as not to explain to Italians why you repatriated on a state flight a hangman, accused of raping children, at the center of migrant trafficking and today you come out with a post like this?
