Italian Opposition Urges Nordio’s Resignation Over Libyan General Release

Italy’s main opposition parties on Wednesday called for Justice Minister Carlo Nordio to resign after newly disclosed court documents indicated his ministry was informed immediately of the 19 January arrest of Libyan General Osama Almasri, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, torture and murder of migrants. A probe by Rome’s Tribunal of Ministers found that Nordio’s chief of staff, Giusi Bartolozzi, exchanged emails with senior officials on the day of the arrest, advising them to communicate via the encrypted Signal app and avoid protocolled documents. The correspondence appears to contradict Nordio’s statement to Parliament that his office learned of the detention only the following day. Almasri was released by a Rome appeals court on 21 January after the justice ministry did not confirm the ICC warrant, and he was flown back to Tripoli on a state aircraft. The tribunal is assessing whether to seek trial for Nordio, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and Under-secretary Alfredo Mantovano on charges including aiding a fugitive and, for Nordio, omission of official acts. The Democratic Party, Five Star Movement, Green-Left Alliance and +Europa said Nordio’s alleged misrepresentation undermines his credibility and warrants immediate resignation. Former premier Matteo Renzi announced a parliamentary question on the matter, while opposition lawmakers pressed Meloni to dismiss the minister if he refuses to step down.