Key takeaways:

• Italian PM Giorgia Meloni is under investigation for allegedly aiding a Libyan warlord.
• The warlord, Ossama Anjiem, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
• Meloni claims the investigation is politically motivated and expresses her indignation.

MILAN — Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Tuesday that Rome prosecutors have opened an investigation against her and two government ministers related to the repatriation of Ossama Anjiem, known as Ossama al-Masri, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). This video revelation by Meloni follows mounting criticism directed at her government from opposition parties, human rights organizations, and the ICC itself, regarding the recent release of al-Masri on a legal technicality after his arrest in Turin.

Meloni posits that this investigation may have been instigated by a complaint from an opposition politician, noting that under Italian law, prosecutors can only initiate investigations based on such complaints. It remains at the discretion of a preliminary hearing judge to decide whether formal charges will be pressed, a process that can take months, if not longer. Italian authorities detained al-Masri on January 19, a day after the ICC issued an arrest warrant, but he was expelled back to Libya two days later when a court failed to uphold his arrest.

During her social media address, Meloni criticized the protocol followed during al-Masri's arrest, stating that the necessary international warrant had not been received by the Justice Ministry, leading to the Appeals Court's decision against confirming the arrest. “At this point, this subject was free in Italian territory, and rather than letting him free, we decided to expel and repatriate him immediately for security reasons with a flight, as happens in other similar cases,” she proclaimed. In her statement, she also asserted that she would not be “intimidated” or “blackmailed” by this investigation (AP News, CNN, LA Times).

Under investigation alongside Meloni are Justice Minister Carlo Nordio and Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, with Piantedosi set to face questions from lawmakers regarding the situation. He previously stated that al-Masri was expelled due to urgent security concerns. The ICC holds al-Masri accountable for a series of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Libya since 2015, including accusations of murder, torture, and sexual violence against detainees within the prison system he leads.

The ICC had factored in that al-Masri's warrant was disseminated to member states before he entered Europe, advising Italy to reach out promptly if problems arose in relation to the warrant. Al-Masri previously led the Tripoli branch of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution, which is connected to notable human rights violations amid the ongoing Libyan civil conflict.

This investigation not only questions Meloni’s actions but also highlights the complexities surrounding international obligations and the politically sensitive nature of immigrant repatriation.