Libyan police chief arrested in Italy on ICC warrant

Italian police have arrested the head of Libya's judicial police, Osama Najim, also known as Almasri, AFP reports citing Italian media. Najim, who is also director of Tripoli's Mitiga detention centre, was detained Sunday in Turin under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for alleged war crimes.

Nello Scavo, a journalist for Avvenire, confirmed the arrest, linking it to years of allegations of abuse in Libyan detention centres. Migrant rescue group Mediterranea Saving Humans described the arrest as a significant moment, accusing the Libyan detention system, funded in part by Italy and the EU, of systematic atrocities.

Interpol reportedly tipped off Italian authorities, leading to Najim's detention in a Turin hotel. The case will be reviewed by the Court of Appeals in Rome. Human rights groups have long condemned violent abuses in Libyan facilities, many of which operate under a 2017 Italy-Libya agreement targeting migration.