Justice Minister Carlo Nordio on Thursday rejected claims he misled the public about the release of Libyan General Osama Almasri earlier this year. He insists official documents disprove recent media reports.
“We will report in parliament when the time comes,” Nordio told reporters at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. “However, the documents we have radically refute what has been reported in the newspapers.”
Almasri, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, was arrested in Turin on January 19. He was released just two days later on a technicality by a Rome appeals court. He returned to Libya on a State flight.
The decision not to uphold the arrest has triggered intense scrutiny. According to reports published this week, an official in the justice ministry allegedly knew of Almasri’s arrest the same day it occurred. Nordio had previously stated that his ministry was only informed the following day.
Italy’s opposition parties reacted strongly to the revelations, with most calling for Nordio to resign.
Investigation into Almasri release is underway
A special court is currently investigating what occurred between Almasri’s arrest and his unexpected release and repatriation on January 21. The general is accused of overseeing the torture, rape, and murder of migrants in Libyan detention centres, including children as young as five.
Nordio has defended the ministry’s handling of the case, blaming alleged irregularities in the ICC’s documentation. He has described the arrest warrant as a “mess” and suggested this was why the Rome court could not proceed.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi also weighed in, claiming the government had no choice but to expel Almasri for security reasons once he was released by the court.
The ICC stated in February there is no open case to answer.
The affair has raised serious questions about Italy’s cooperation with the ICC and its handling of high-profile international arrests. Parliament is expected to seek clarification from Nordio in the coming weeks.
