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Italy recalls envoy to Egypt over torture-slaying of student Italy recalls envoy to Egypt over torture-slaying of student
(about 2 hours later)
ROME — Keeping up its press for the “truth” in the torture and slaying of an Italian graduate student in Cairo, Italy on Friday announced it was recalling its ambassador from the Egyptian capital for urgent consultations. ROME — Keeping up its press for the “truth” in the torture and slaying of an Italian graduate student in Cairo, the Italian government on Friday announced it was recalling its ambassador from Egypt for urgent consultations after Italian prosecutors expressed disappointment over Egyptian cooperation.
Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni was recalling Ambassador Maurizio Massari for “an urgent evaluation of more opportune initiatives to relaunch the commitment aimed at determining the truth about the barbarous murder of Giulio Regeni,” a ministry statement said. Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni was recalling Ambassador Maurizio Massari from the Egyptian capital for “urgent evaluation of more opportune initiatives to relaunch the commitment aimed at determining the truth about the barbarous murder of Giulio Regeni,” a ministry statement said.
The 28-year-old student, who was researching Egyptian labor movements, disappeared on Jan. 25, the fifth anniversary on the Egyptian uprising, when police and other Egyptian security personnel were out in force in Cairo to discourage protests. His body was found near a Cairo highway on Feb. 3. Italian officials said an Italian autopsy found signs of “protracted” torture over several days, and that Regeni appears to have died on Feb. 1 or 2. The 28-year-old student, who was researching Egyptian labor movements, disappeared on Jan. 25, the fifth anniversary on the Egyptian uprising, when police and other Egyptian security personnel were out in force in Cairo to discourage protests. His body was found near a Cairo highway on Feb. 3.
Italy’s foreign ministry said the decision to step up diplomatic pressure by recalling the ambassador was taken after meetings Thursday and Friday in Rome between visiting Egyptian investigators and Italian prosecutors and police. Italian officials said an Italian autopsy found signs of “protracted” torture over several days, and that Regeni appears to have died on Feb. 1 or 2.
Although the ministry statement wasn’t more specific, the recall was widely seen in Italy as a sign that the meetings failed to satisfy Italian authorities. Rome-based prosecutors have insisted that Egypt turn over records of Regeni’s cell phone use from the time of disappearance and other information, including surveillance camera video from the near the metro station where he was last seen. Premier Matteo Renzi told reporters that decision was made “immediately” after Italian prosecutors gave their assessment of two days of meetings that wrapped up Friday with visiting Egyptian investigators they had hoped would deliver useful evidence.
The ministry didn’t suggest what other initiatives the Italian government might take against Egypt, which is a big trading partner. Italian energy company ENI has decades-long extensive dealings with Egypt. “Italy, as you know, made a commitment to the family of Giulio Regeni naturally, to the memory of Giulio Regeni, but also to the dignity of all us, saying we’d only stop in front of the truth,” Renzi said. Recalling the ambassador to Rome “means Italy is confirming this commitment to itself, to the family,” the premier said.
Last week, Regeni’s anguished parents said Italy should declare Egypt “unsafe” for Italians to visit, saying their son was only one of many torture victims in the north African country. A statement from the Rome prosecutors’ office said it was still pressing the Egyptians for turn over a list of Regeni’s cell phone traffic “in very brief time.”
The Italian news agency ANSA said the Egyptian investigators didn’t bring to Rome the surveillance camera video from near the metro station where Regeni was last seen. Italian prosecutors, and Italian police who had gone to Cairo, had repeatedly requested the images.
For its part Italy turned over the results of the Italian autopsy and what was found on Regeni’s computer, the Rome prosecutors’ office said.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu-Zeid said the ministry “hasn’t been officially notified of the recalling of the Italian ambassador to Egypt to Rome for consultation or the reasons behind it.”
“The Foreign Ministry is waiting for the return of the Egyptian team to listen to its evaluation” of what came out of the two days of meetings between both sides’ investigators, he said in a statement.
Italy has expressed mounting impatience with various Egyptian’s attempts to explain Regeni’s death, including a latest one blaming the slaying on a robbery gang.
The Rome prosecutors in their statement referred to that version, reiterating the “conviction that there are no elements indicating direct involvement by a band of criminals in the torture and death” of Regeni.
Egyptian authorities recently produced Regeni’s passport and student IDs they said had been in the possession of a criminal gang they contend were abducting foreigners for robbery purposes. The gang members were killed in a shootout with Egyptian police, Egyptian authorities said.
Shortly after Regeni’s body was found, Egyptian authorities attributed the death to a road accident.
The Italian ministry didn’t suggest what other initiatives the government might take against Egypt, which is a big trading partner as well as an ally in anti-terrorism efforts. Italian energy company ENI has decades-long extensive dealings with Egypt.
Last week, Regeni’s anguished parents urged the Italian government to declare Egypt “unsafe” for Italians to visit, saying their son was only one of many torture victims in the north African country. Egypt’s Red Sea resorts for decades had been a popular destination for Italian tourists.
The head of the Italian Senate foreign affairs commission, Pier Ferdinando Casini, said recalling the ambassador not only had “high symbolic value,” but also shows “Italy strongly defends its national decorum and dignity.”
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Maggie Michael contributed from Cairo.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.