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Giulio Regeni: Egypt tried to cover up student murder, Italy says | Giulio Regeni: Egypt tried to cover up student murder, Italy says |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Italian prosecutors have accused Egyptian officials of deliberately trying to mislead the investigation into student Giulio Regeni's death. | Italian prosecutors have accused Egyptian officials of deliberately trying to mislead the investigation into student Giulio Regeni's death. |
Regeni, a postgraduate student at the University of Cambridge, was doing research for his doctorate in Cairo when he went missing in January 2016. | Regeni, a postgraduate student at the University of Cambridge, was doing research for his doctorate in Cairo when he went missing in January 2016. |
His body was found nine days later. | His body was found nine days later. |
Prosecutors said Egypt's claims about Regeni's death had either been contradicted by a post-mortem examination in Italy, or debunked. | |
Prosecutor Sergio Colaiocco was addressing the first session of a parliamentary commission set up to look into whether Regeni was the focus of scrutiny by security forces in Egypt before his death. | Prosecutor Sergio Colaiocco was addressing the first session of a parliamentary commission set up to look into whether Regeni was the focus of scrutiny by security forces in Egypt before his death. |
The topic the 28-year-old Italian student was looking into - independent trade unions - is politically controversial within Egypt. | The topic the 28-year-old Italian student was looking into - independent trade unions - is politically controversial within Egypt. |
What happened to Regeni? | What happened to Regeni? |
The Italian PhD student disappeared on a research trip on 25 January 2016 - the fifth anniversary of the start of the uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak, when there was a heavy police presence in Cairo. | The Italian PhD student disappeared on a research trip on 25 January 2016 - the fifth anniversary of the start of the uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak, when there was a heavy police presence in Cairo. |
Regeni's body was eventually discovered in a ditch by the side of a road on 3 February. | Regeni's body was eventually discovered in a ditch by the side of a road on 3 February. |
His mother told the Italian parliament last year that her son's body was so disfigured, she was only able to identify him using the tip of his nose. | His mother told the Italian parliament last year that her son's body was so disfigured, she was only able to identify him using the tip of his nose. |
Addressing the commission in Rome on Tuesday, Mr Colaiocco said: "A web was spun by Egypt's national security service from the October preceding his death, a web in which the apparatus used the people closest to Giulio in Cairo." | Addressing the commission in Rome on Tuesday, Mr Colaiocco said: "A web was spun by Egypt's national security service from the October preceding his death, a web in which the apparatus used the people closest to Giulio in Cairo." |
People who knew Regeni passed information about him to the secret services, he alleged. | People who knew Regeni passed information about him to the secret services, he alleged. |
He added that the Italian post-mortem examination found Regeni had been tortured "in stages" between 25 January and the day of his death. | |
His body sustained injuries that showed he was beaten with "kicks, fists, sticks and clubs", and that he died from a broken neck, Mr Colaiocco added. | His body sustained injuries that showed he was beaten with "kicks, fists, sticks and clubs", and that he died from a broken neck, Mr Colaiocco added. |
Egypt has denied accusations that Regeni died in custody. However, officials have admitted that the security services were monitoring him. | Egypt has denied accusations that Regeni died in custody. However, officials have admitted that the security services were monitoring him. |
What were Egypt's 'misleading' claims? | What were Egypt's 'misleading' claims? |
"Fake stories were fabricated to throw off the investigation" almost as soon as Regeni's body was found, Mr Colaiocco told the hearing. | "Fake stories were fabricated to throw off the investigation" almost as soon as Regeni's body was found, Mr Colaiocco told the hearing. |
The first was that a postmortem examination - carried out in Egypt - showed that the student had been killed in a car accident. This has been contradicted by the postmortem carried out in Italy. | The first was that a postmortem examination - carried out in Egypt - showed that the student had been killed in a car accident. This has been contradicted by the postmortem carried out in Italy. |
Another was that, because Regeni was naked when his body was found, there was a sexual motive behind his death. | Another was that, because Regeni was naked when his body was found, there was a sexual motive behind his death. |
Then in March that year, Mr Colaiocco said, a "witness" claimed on television that he saw Regeni arguing with a foreigner near the Italian consulate the evening before his death. | Then in March that year, Mr Colaiocco said, a "witness" claimed on television that he saw Regeni arguing with a foreigner near the Italian consulate the evening before his death. |
This claim was later debunked by telephone records showing the supposed witness was nowhere near the consulate at the time, and that Regeni was at home watching a film online when the fight was supposed to have taken place. | This claim was later debunked by telephone records showing the supposed witness was nowhere near the consulate at the time, and that Regeni was at home watching a film online when the fight was supposed to have taken place. |
Finally, officials said Regeni was killed by a five-strong criminal gang - and that all of them were then killed in a shootout. This claim was later branded "implausible". | Finally, officials said Regeni was killed by a five-strong criminal gang - and that all of them were then killed in a shootout. This claim was later branded "implausible". |
Mr Colaiocco and fellow-prosecutor Michele Prestipino have been investigating Regeni's death in coordination with Egyptian officials - but almost four years later, no-one has been charged. | Mr Colaiocco and fellow-prosecutor Michele Prestipino have been investigating Regeni's death in coordination with Egyptian officials - but almost four years later, no-one has been charged. |
Last year, Italy placed five members of the Egyptian security forces under official investigation for their alleged involvement. | Last year, Italy placed five members of the Egyptian security forces under official investigation for their alleged involvement. |
Mr Prestipino said coordinating with Egypt was tricky, because the two nations don't have bilateral judicial pacts. | Mr Prestipino said coordinating with Egypt was tricky, because the two nations don't have bilateral judicial pacts. |
"The public prosecutor's office will continue with determination to do all it can to find evidence and work out what happened," he said. | "The public prosecutor's office will continue with determination to do all it can to find evidence and work out what happened," he said. |
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