The Libyan Attorney General’s Office has ordered the detention of Osama Najim, a former senior official in the Judicial Police, pending investigation into allegations of torture and the death of a prisoner at a correctional facility in Tripoli. The decision was announced in an official statement issued on Wednesday.
According to the statement, prosecutors questioned Najim over alleged human rights abuses involving ten inmates at the facility. The investigation produced sufficient evidence to justify his continued detention as a prelude to formal prosecution before a criminal court.
The Attorney General’s Office also confirmed it had requested assistance from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in obtaining evidence linked to Najim’s case. His name had previously appeared on a list of suspects accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In July, Libyan prosecutors contacted the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor seeking legal cooperation and documentation to support the domestic investigation, as part of what the statement described as “coordinated efforts between national and international justice systems to ensure accountability and prevent impunity.”
Najim was earlier questioned by Libyan prosecutors on 28 April, where he was confronted with the charges before proceedings were postponed pending a reply from the ICC.
The case traces back to mid-January, when Italian authorities in Turin arrested Najim under an international arrest warrant issued by the ICC. He faced 12 charges, including murder, torture, rape, and serious violations of human dignity. However, he was released two days later due to a procedural flaw in the international request.
On 18 May, the ICC reissued a full arrest warrant for Najim, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed at Mitiga Prison in Tripoli since February 2015.
Meanwhile, Italy’s decision to release Najim sparked controversy, with opposition parties demanding the prosecution of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and several cabinet members over the handling of the case.
