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.
