Two migrants detail abuse by Libyan police chief wanted by ICC who was recently deported by Italy

Lam Magok and David Yambio, South Sudanese migrants residing in Italy who now campaign for the rights of refugees, have filed a complaint against Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Its centered over the deportation of Osama Najim, a Libyan police chief wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The two men detailed the abuse they witnessed to Al Jazeera.

“I saw him commit war crimes. I saw him kill people,” Yambio said, recounting his experiences with Najim.

Yambio was reportedly detained by the Libyan coast guard, which receives funding from Italy, while attempting to migrate to Europe. He was eventually transferred to al-Jadida prison, where he met Magok. The two were later moved to Mitiga prison near Tripoli.

Magok described brutal conditions, telling Al Jazeera, “There were prisoners, Libyans and migrants, forced into holes in the ground. We watched them being led to interrogation rooms, where they were beaten, electroshocked, had their fingers cut off, or were submerged in barrels of water.”

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have documented widespread abuse at Mitiga and al-Jadida, including torture and forced disappearances. Both prisons are reportedly under Najim's control.

According to the ICC, Najim is accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape, and sexual violence, allegedly committed in Libya since February 2015.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni faced significant backlash for deporting Najim to Tripoli on a government plane, rather than handing him over to the ICC after his arrest in Italy in January. Meloni defended her actions, citing a technicality related to the ICC arrest warrant. However, she is now under judicial review.

Najim’s release marks the second instance in six months where a Libyan accused of serious crimes was freed by Italian authorities, according to Al Jazeera. In August of the previous year, Saddam Haftar, son of Khalifa Haftar, was reportedly released despite being wanted by Spanish authorities on weapons smuggling charges. Both Haftars have faced allegations of abusing migrants.

Yambio criticized the Italian government, stating, “There is no way that the Italian government can say it does not know about the murder, abuse, and terrorism it is supporting.”

Critics argue that Prime Minister Meloni may be overlooking human rights violations by Libyan officials in an effort to strengthen relations with Libya, a key partner in preventing migrants from reaching Europe.