A Libyan court has sentenced a former prison director and general to a seven-year jail term for torture and cruel and degrading treatment against detainees.

Osama al-Masri, former head of Tripoli's judicial police and in charge of Mitiga jail in Libya, a place where migrants were often detained, was sentenced to seven-years and four months in prison and has had his citizenship revoked.

In a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday (June 21), the Libyan State Prosecutor's Office said that the public lawsuit and ensuing conviction was based on reports of violating rights of migrants and refugees in detention and subjecting them to torture, and cruel and humiliating treatment.

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The judgement was met with support from many commenting on the post on line.

"Such rulings also enhance citizens' trust in justice and confirm that detention centers are not areas isolated from judicial supervision, and that the rights of detainees remain protected no matter what charges are attributed to them, because punishment is only within the limits set by law and guaranteed by the judiciary," one wrote on Facebook.

Al-Masri was also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC issued a warrant for his arrest in January 2025, but he is described on their website as "still at large." He was briefly arrested in Italy due to his arrest warrant, but later flown back to Libya after he was released from jail. He has been detained in Libya since last November.

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Expanding EU cooperation with Libya

The news of the al-Masri conviction comes at a time of increased anti-migrant sentiment. Between and June 1 and 10, rights organization Amnesty International reported that government bodies that included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the House of Representatives and the LAAF issued what it called "a barrage of statements and decisions rejecting the 'settlement' of migrants in Libya."

On its Facebook page, the Libyan government posted its strategic plans to address irregular immigration which it called an "increasing security, humanitarian and development challenge."

Earlier this month, hundreds of people gathered outside the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) headquarters in Tripoli protesting against the presence of irregular migrants and refugees in the country. Some picketers reportedly wanted the facility to close to prevent migrants from settling permanently in Libya.

Amnesty slammed the European Union's efforts to expand its cooperation with Libya in the area of border control and management. Citing leaked documents, media reports, and social media publications, the rights group said that the expanded migration cooperation with Libya included establishing a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Benghazi, which is under Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) control. 

"The EU has long bankrolled migration control in Libya with its support of the Libyan Coast Guard, which has already made it complicit in horrific violations and abuses. Extending this cooperation to eastern-based armed groups with records of committing war crimes and other abuses with impunity shows a shocking disregard, not only for international law, but also for human life and dignity," Diana Elahawy, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International said in a statement.  

"The EU and its member states cannot evade responsibility while these abuses continue under their watch. They must end their complicity in crimes under international law and suspend their containment policies that trap people in cycles of abuse," Elahawy added.

When asked by InfoMigrants about plans to set up an MRCC in Benghazi in January this year, and also about cooperation with Libya in the light of similar allegations from organizations supporting migrant rights, a spokesperson from the EU Commission emailed InfoMigrants with this statement: "This MRCC would contribute to coordinating Libyan coast Guard activities in search and rescue in the éast of the country, in line with international agreements and standards. A proposal currently under consideration is that this initiative would be implemented via Operation Irini, fully in line with the current mandate, and would be financially supported by the Member States in the framework of the European Peace Facility (EPF). Through the EPF, the EU planned around 3 million euros funding. No operational work has started."

More generally, the EU Spokesperson added: "As we said many times, the European Commission is committed to working and cooperating with all key actors in Libya to address common challenges, including migration management. Our engagement in Libya has always been to support a comprehensive and rights-based migration management, including the protection of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in full respect of international standards and rules. This includes supporting the capacity of relevant Libyan actors to save lives and combat smuggling networks, including through enhanced coordination and operating procedures at sea in line with international standards. We support any initiatives that contribute to these objectives." 

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Arrest in Italy

Al-Masri was arrested in Turin, Italy on January 19 2025, following a warrant issued by the ICC. Shortly after, Al - Masri was repatriated to Libya on a state chartered flight, where he was reportedly met by supporters.

Italy's release and repatriation of Al-Masri was met with heavy criticism at the time. Italian officials defended the move, saying it was based on "urgent security reasons". Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and members of her administration were subjected to a court investigation following Al-Masri's release. In response, Meloni posted a video statement saying, "It is not possible to blackmail me, and I will not be intimidated...I intend to continue to defend Italy especially when the safety of the nation is at stake, with my head held high and without fear."

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