The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that two Italian nationals detained in eastern Libya will remain in custody after a Libyan prosecutor extended their preventive detention following a June 2 hearing. The activists, identified as Domenico Centrone and Dina Alberizia (also referred to as Leonarda Alberizia), were part of an international solidarity convoy attempting to reach Gaza through North African overland routes when they were apprehended by militia forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar in Cyrenaica.
Why This Matters
• Consular access pending: The Italian Consul General in Benghazi has filed another formal request to visit the detained citizens, who remain in a police barracks without confirmed charges.
• Six already returned: On May 27, six other Italian members of the same convoy were released and returned home; only Centrone and Alberizia remain in Libyan custody.
• Diplomatic pressure continues: The Farnesina, along with the Italian Embassy in Tripoli and the Benghazi Consulate, are coordinating with local authorities to secure their swift repatriation.
The Convoy and Its Interception
Centrone and Alberizia were participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international caravan organized to challenge the blockade on Gaza by establishing humanitarian corridors. The terrestrial convoy set out from North Africa in late May, carrying activists from multiple countries demanding the cessation of restrictions on aid and civilian movement into the Palestinian territory.
The convoy was intercepted by forces under General Haftar's control in the Cyrenaica region, which comprises Libya's eastern provinces. Authorities there declared the group's entry unauthorized, and all participants were detained on accusations of illegal entry. While most of the Italian delegation—seven in total—was released within days, Centrone and Alberizia have remained in detention for over a week.
Italian consular officials who visited the two detainees reported they are in good physical health and have requested improvements to their detention conditions, with some measures reportedly implemented. However, no formal charges have been disclosed by Libyan prosecutors, and the legal basis for their continued custody remains unclear.
Diplomatic Efforts and Family Communication
The Italian Foreign Ministry released a statement confirming that families of both detainees are being kept informed of all developments and diplomatic steps. The Consul General in Benghazi submitted a renewed formal request for consular access on June 3, though no confirmation has been issued as to whether the visit will be granted before the next scheduled hearing.
The ministry emphasized that coordination with Libyan authorities continues across multiple channels, with the Italian Embassy in Tripoli serving as the primary liaison and the Benghazi Consulate providing direct support on the ground. The diplomatic strategy centers on securing the earliest possible return of the two nationals to Italy, though no timeline has been provided.
Italy's Complex Position on Gaza Convoys
The detention comes amid a nuanced and at times contradictory stance by the Italian government on solidarity initiatives aimed at Gaza. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has publicly stated that flotilla operations do not deliver meaningful benefits to Gaza's civilian population and instead generate "many more problems to resolve." Her administration has conveyed this criticism through official diplomatic channels.
Yet Italy has simultaneously condemned certain actions taken against flotilla participants. When Israeli naval forces intercepted vessels from the same Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters in late May, Rome labeled the seizure illegal and demanded the immediate release of Italian citizens aboard. The government called on Israel to respect international law and ensure the physical safety of all detained individuals.
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto ruled out any military intervention to break the Gaza blockade, stating it would be impossible to risk a confrontation between Italian and Israeli forces. He underscored Italy's commitment to providing humanitarian aid to Gaza within the framework of international cooperation, but only through legal and sanctioned channels.
Historical Context: Italians Detained in Libya
This is not the first time Italian nationals have faced detention in Libya, a country fragmented by rival governments and armed factions since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. In 2015, four employees of the Italian engineering firm Bonatti were kidnapped in Libya. Two were later freed, but Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla were killed during a militia raid.
More recently, in September 2023, Italy and Libya signed a judicial cooperation agreement. The treaty was subsequently ratified by the Italian Senate in September 2025, and aims to facilitate prisoner exchanges, though its scope is limited and requires the consent of the detainee. The agreement also addresses cases involving dual-nationality minors and other contested custody situations.
What This Means for Residents
For Italians involved in international activism or humanitarian work, this case underscores the legal and security risks inherent in operating in unstable regions, particularly Libya. The country's divided governance—split between the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity and Haftar's Libyan National Army in the east—creates jurisdictional ambiguities that can trap foreign nationals in prolonged detention without clear legal recourse.
The Farnesina advises Italian citizens traveling to Libya to maintain regular contact with consular services and to ensure all entry permits and authorizations are secured in advance. Activists planning solidarity missions should coordinate with the Italian Embassy to assess risks and legal compliance before departure.
Families of detained Italians can contact the 24-hour Crisis Unit at the Foreign Ministry for updates and support. The government maintains that securing consular access is a priority in all detention cases, though the effectiveness of such interventions depends heavily on cooperation from local authorities.
Outlook and Next Steps
The next hearing date for Centrone and Alberizia has not been publicly announced, leaving the duration of their detention uncertain. Italian diplomats are reportedly pressing Libyan counterparts for expedited legal proceedings and clarity on the charges, if any, that will be formally filed.
The case also raises broader questions about Italy's role in Mediterranean geopolitics and its balancing act between support for Israel's security concerns and humanitarian solidarity with Palestinians. While Rome has abstained from several UN resolutions on Palestinian statehood, it continues to engage with international partners on regional stability and humanitarian efforts.
For now, the two Italian activists remain in a legal limbo in eastern Libya, dependent on diplomatic negotiations playing out behind closed doors in Tripoli, Benghazi, and Rome.
