Members of the European Parliament has called on Egypt to assist Italian investigators looking into the murder of Italian student Giulio Regini, whose tortured body was found in early February on the side of a road in Cairo.
The parliament also noted “with grave concern that the case of Giulio Regeni is not an isolated incident,” and pointed to increased cases of enforced disappearance in Egypt, in a draft resolution considered by the body.
“The Guilio Regini case is unspeakably tragic, but what is even worse is the institutionalized practice to do away with people,” one MP stated in remarks before the vote.
Giulio Regini was a graduate student in Cairo who was studying trade unions, whose last known whereabouts were the Behoos Metro Station in downtown Cairo on Jan. 25, 2016. His body was found a week later, dumped on the side of the road.
His body bore signs of intense torture, including multiple cigarette burns and bruises.
In the parliament session before the vote, a number of speakers held signs in front of their seats reading “Truth for Giulio Regini.”
“My compatriot went to Cairo to continue his research, and was tortured unspeakably. Egypt has given the body back, but not the truth, ” said one Italian MP in the session.
The EU “is deeply concerned about the imminent threat of forced closure of the El Nadeem Center for the Management and Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture; calls for the swift withdrawal of the order for its administrative closure,” the resolution by the parliament read.
“I call on EU High Representative Mogherini and EU Member states to adhere to the 2013 decision to suspend all export of military technology and equipment and security cooperation until tangible progress is made to significantly improve the human rights situation and achieve comprehensive judicial reform,” said British MP Neena Gill in an email to Youm7 Thursday.
Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou visited Italy this week to pay his respects at Regini’s funeral.
Regeni’s murder was an “inhuman act” that does not reflect the Egyptian character, Zaazou said Saturday at the funeral service in St. Joseph’s Church.
Zaazou added that “We are here to offer our condolences for the loss of this young man and share grief with his family and the Italian people.”
