On Sunday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) released new details outlining 12 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Osama Najim, a former Libyan prison commander and senior official in the Judicial Police.
Although an arrest warrant had already been issued in connection with his role in Libya’s post-2011 conflict, the new publication clarifies the nature and scope of the alleged crimes committed under his authority.
According to the ICC’s updated findings, Najim is accused of orchestrating or directly committing acts of murder, rape, torture, unlawful imprisonment, persecution, and sexual violence, largely carried out at the notorious Mitiga Prison in Tripoli, where he oversaw operations for years.
The Court states that detainees were held in inhumane conditions and were targeted based on their religious beliefs (such as Christianity or atheism), perceived violations of the ideological doctrine of the Special Deterrence Forces (Al-Radaa), or alleged affiliations with rival armed groups. Some were reportedly imprisoned for reasons as vague as “immorality” or suspected homosexuality.
The charges, based on the Rome Statute, name Najim as either directly responsible or as a superior who issued orders or provided support to those who carried out the abuses, many of whom were members of the Al-Radaa force.
The ICC confirmed that it had submitted arrest requests to six countries, including Italy, where Najim was briefly detained in January 2024 in the city of Turin, before being unexpectedly released and allowed to return to Libya. The Court has since sought clarification from Italian authorities and requested INTERPOL to issue a red notice.
Najim is one of eight Libyans still wanted by the ICC in connection with the Libya case, which was referred to the Court by the UN Security Council in 2011 under Resolution 1970. Others include Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and several former officials linked to detention centers and state violence.
