A spokesperson for the NGO Refugees
in Libya asked government members why Libyan judicial police
commander Najeem Osama Almasri Habish had been released and sent
back to Libya during a press conference organized on Wednesday
by members of the opposition at the Lower House.
The spokesman, David Yambio of Sudan, said that the organization
which he said also represents the "survivors and victims" of
Almasri, who is alleged to have been in charge of prison
facilities in Tripoli, also asked for the "immediate cessation
of accords between Italy and Libya allowing abuses to be
committed against migrants".
Refugees in Libya, a group representing refugees, asylum
seekers, and migrants set up in Italy last year, also demanded a
"public commitment" from the government "to ask for the release
of all those who are still imprisoned in Mitiga and in other
detention centres" as well as "an official explanation as to why
Almasri, who was described by the Italian government and in
particular by (Interior Minister Matteo) Piantedosi as
dangerous, was released instead of being handed over to the
International Criminal Court" (ICC), said Yambio.
Almasri was arrested by Italian authorities last weekend on a
warrant issued by the International Criminal Court and later
released and flown back to Libya.
The International Criminal Court has urged Italy to provide
clarifications on the release of the man which it said headed
Tripoli's infamous Mitiga detention centre where migrants,
including children, were tortured and forced to fight.
The court said last week that he is alleged to have been in
charge of prison facilities in Tripoli, where thousands of
persons were detained for prolonged periods, and that he is
"suspected of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including
murder, torture, rape and sexual violence, allegedly committed
in Libya from February 2015 onwards".
During the press conference on Wednesday, a number of refugees
said they had been tortured and abused by Almasri.
Some of them showed photos of their attempts to flee the Mitiga
camp.
"Almasri hit us, he tortured us for days", said Lam Magok,
stressing that he was also forced to remove the bodies of people
who died at the camp.
"It's something I'll never forget", he said.
"We want justice".
Magok went on to say it was "a huge shock to learn that Almasri
had been allowed to return to Libya".
The press conference was promoted by the Green-Left Alliance
(AVS) and attended, among others, by Italian Left (SI) leader
Nicola Fratoianni, Democratic Party (PD) leader Elly Schlein,
+Europa leader Riccardo Magi and centrist Italia Viva (IV)
lawmaker Maria Elena Boschi.
Italy has an agreement with Libya to provide aid for its coast
guard in exchange for cooperation on combatting illegal
migration crossings.
However, the 2017 deal, renewed every three years and approved
by the European Council, has been slammed by NGOs for allegedly
fostering illegal pushbacks.
People who are intercepted by Libyan coast guard and brought
back to shore are often taken to the now notorious detention
facilities where they are subjected to dire conditions and
abuse.
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