Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has revealed that Italian prosecutors are investigating her in connection with the deportation of a Libyan man wanted by the International Criminal Court.

Meloni said in a video posted on social media on Tuesday that she and three other government officials, including the justice minister, are under investigation.

She said they are accused of aiding a crime by not handing the Libyan former official over to the ICC. The official is said to have been in charge of prison facilities in his country. The ICC issued an arrest warrant for him on suspicion of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The ICC said the man was detained in Italy on January 19. But the Italian government transported him to Libya.

Meloni said the government expelled and repatriated him rather than handing him over to the ICC because the court had failed to follow the proper procedures.

Western media have reported that there is speculation that the Italian government may have taken into consideration Libya's cooperation on issues such as combatting illegal immigration.

There have been several cases in which ICC member countries have been uncooperative with the court in investigations or the detention of people with arrest warrants.