Victims of Libyan war crimes suspect express dismay, fear after Italy frees him

By Angelo Amante

ROME (Reuters) - Migrants expressed their dismay and sense of betrayal on Wednesday over Italy's decision last week to release a Libyan policeman wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and human rights abuses and allow him to return home.

One of the migrants said he still had nightmares every night because of what he suffered at the hands of Osama Elmasry Njeem.

The ICC accuses Njeem of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape and sexual violence, allegedly committed in Libya from February 2015. Several of his alleged victims are believed to have been migrants.

Njeem, who has not publicly commented on the accusations, was arrested in Italy on Jan. 19 on an ICC warrant but two days later was freed and flown back to Libya on a government plane, officially because of a procedural fault with his arrest.

"This is what we are having today, a huge betrayal, a huge disappointment, but also the fear for our lives," David Yambio, who comes from South Sudan and is head of the "Refugees in Libya" group, told a news conference held in the Italian parliament.

"Every single day I see (him) in my dream. I turn in bed, up and down, without any way to escape from the reality," said Yambio, who spoke in English alongside two other migrants, Lam Magok and Mahamat Daoud, who also spent time in Libyan prisons.

Magok called Njeem a "very dangerous guy and aggressive" who had personally beat him while in prison.

Reuters could not independently verify the accusation.

Earlier on Wednesday, Italy's justice and interior ministers cancelled a scheduled address to lawmakers on the Njeem case.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni revealed she and the two ministers had been placed under judicial investigation by prosecutors in the case for possible misuse of public funds and for aiding and abetting a crime.

Opposition politicians and human rights groups have accused the government of freeing Njeem because it relies on Libyan security forces to slow the flow of boat migrants and did not want to antagonise them by arresting such a high profile figure.

The government has denied this.

Yambio said his group had asked Meloni for an explanation of the government's decision but had received no response.

(Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Gareth Jones)