Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says she has been placed under judicial investigation over Italy's surprise release of a Libyan citizen who had been wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a video message shared on social media on Tuesday, Meloni said she was suspected by prosecutors of embezzlement and aiding and abetting a crime.
Osama Najim - also known as Almasri - is the head of Libya's judicial police and the director of an infamous detention centre in Mitiga, near Tripoli.
Mr Najim was arrested in Italy on 21 January and unexpectedly freed days later "due to a legal technicality", the interior ministry said.
The ICC, which said it had not been consulted, swiftly issued another arrest warrant for Mr Najim and demanded an explanation from the Italian authorities.
