Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has dismissed a judicial notice calling for the prosecution of two senior ministers in her cabinet over the controversial release of Osama Najim, Libya’s chief of judicial police, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.
In a Facebook post, Meloni said the notice was issued more than six months after the case began, well beyond the legal three-month window, and followed what she described as “unjustified leaks.”
She stated that judges had excluded her from the case, citing her lack of prior knowledge and approval of the decision, which meant she did not contribute to the alleged “criminal plan.” Meanwhile, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, and Deputy Minister Alfredo Mantovano are facing calls for prosecution.
Meloni dismissed the accusations as “utterly absurd,” insisting that her government operates cohesively under her leadership. “Every decision, especially those of major importance, is made collectively,” she said. “It’s illogical to prosecute them and not me, if we’re to assume shared responsibility.”
She reaffirmed the legitimacy of the government’s actions, asserting that the release of Najim was driven solely by national security concerns, despite his status as a wanted figure by the ICC.
