The Libyan embassy in Rome said Saturday that it will start organizing visits to Libyan detainees in Italian prisons.

"The visits will include prisoners accused in illegal immigration smuggling," the embassy stated on Facebook.

It also called on families of Libyan prisoners in Italy to reach out to the consular affairs at the embassy, indicating that it will facilitate all arrangements required, from visa applications to their meeting of their sons imprisoned in Italy.

Libya's ambassador to Rome, Omar al-Tarhouni, revealed that the Italian government had agreed to begin negotiating an agreement on the exchange of prisoners with Libya.

"The Libyan embassy succeeded in convincing the Italian authorities to begin negotiating a draft agreement on the exchange of prisoners, which is likely to start discussions at the beginning of May," the Libyan ambassador said.

He also reiterated that the embassy will continue its efforts to end the suffering of Libyan families, whose sons are held in Italian prisons.

A number of young Libyans have been held in Italian prisons for years, for charges of illegal immigration smuggling.