Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was put under investigation on Tuesday for the release and repatriation of Libyan Judicial Police chief Osama Almasri Njeem, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Prosecutor Francesco Lo Voi opened investigations against Giorgia Meloni for allegedly aiding and abetting Almasri. This occurred following a lawsuit issued by Italian lawyer Luigi Li Gotti. Li Gotti stated he filed the lawsuit out of dignity. He claims that repatriation would allow Almasri to return to Libya and continue committing crimes for which he is accused.

Other ministers are currently under investigation. The prosecutor’s office in Rome sent notices to the Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio, Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, and Undersecretary of State Alfredo Mantovano.

Giorgia Meloni said on her social media she is not intimidated by the investigation. The National Association of Magistrates (ANM) confirmed that the notices received by Meloni were merely a communication of registration of the procedures, which is necessary when a lawsuit is presented.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant against Almasri on January 18. The ICC accused Almasri of crimes against humanity and war crimes, specifically of imprisonment, murder, torture, outrages upon personal dignity, and sexual violence under Articles 7 and 8 of the Rome Statute.

Under Article 86 of the Rome Statute, States have a general obligation to cooperate with the ICC. Italian officers detained Almasri Njeem in Turin before his release on January 21. Meloni claims the request for arrest by the ICC was not delivered to the Italian Ministry of Justice, which led to the request not being validated. As a result, Meloni justified the decision to repatriate Almasri for the security of Italian citizens.

The ANM released a communication on the matter, stating the Minister of Justice should have issued a request for preventive detention instead of repatriating Almasri, as this would have respected international law.