Tue Jan 28 17:35:52 UTC 2025: ## Italian Prime Minister Meloni Under Investigation for Libyan Officer’s Release
**Rome, Italy** – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced Tuesday that she is under investigation for aiding and abetting a crime and embezzlement in connection with the controversial release of Osama Elmasry Njeem, a Libyan police officer wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). In a video message, Meloni vehemently denied any wrongdoing and declared she would not be intimidated.
The investigation centers around the unexpected release and repatriation to Tripoli of Njeem, who heads a branch of Libya’s notorious Reform and Rehabilitation Institution, a network of detention centers linked to numerous human rights abuses, including murder, rape, and torture. Njeem was detained in Turin earlier this month before being swiftly released and flown back to Libya on a government aircraft.
Along with Meloni, Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, and the cabinet undersecretary for intelligence matters are also reportedly under investigation. Meloni noted that the investigation is being led by the same prosecutor who previously investigated Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, a case which resulted in Salvini’s acquittal last month.
The Prime Minister framed the investigation as politically motivated, asserting that she “will not be blackmailed, and that she will not be intimidated.” The details surrounding the circumstances of Njeem’s release and the exact nature of the alleged embezzlement remain unclear. The investigation is expected to further illuminate the events leading to the controversial decision to release the ICC-wanted Libyan official.
First Piper 