Four senior officers from Egyptian security agencies are being tried in absentia in an Italian court on Thursday over their suspected involvement in the disappearance and murder of graduate student Giulio Regeni in Cairo in 2016. Italy hopes the trial will shed light on a murder case that has shocked the nation and affected relations with Egypt, which has consistently denied any responsibility for Regeni's brutal death.
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio stated in a parliamentary hearing on the case last month, "The search for truth has always been and will always remain a fundamental objective in our relations with Egypt." He added, "Reaching a conclusive picture of what happened, in the context of a fair trial, will not bring Giulio back to his parents, but it reaffirms the strength of justice, transparency, and the rule of law that he believed in."
Regeni, a graduate student at Cambridge University, disappeared in the Egyptian capital in January 2016. His body was discovered about a week later, and an autopsy revealed he had suffered severe beatings before his death. Italian and Egyptian prosecutors have investigated the case together, but the two sides have disagreed and reached highly divergent conclusions.
Italian prosecutors claim that Major Sherif Magdy of the Egyptian General Intelligence, former National Security chief Lieutenant General Tarek Saber, police Colonel Hisham Helmy, and Colonel Aser Kamal, former head of Cairo's Public Security Investigations, are responsible for Regeni's abduction. They also stated that Sherif is accused of "conspiring to commit murder with aggravating circumstances."
The suspects have not publicly responded to the charges, and police and officials in Egypt have repeatedly denied any involvement in Regeni's disappearance and murder. Defence lawyers appointed by the court argue that the trial should not proceed because it is not certain that any of the suspects are aware of the proceedings. However, a judge rejected their objection in a preliminary session in May, stating that news of the investigation would reach them anyway.
Regeni was researching independent trade unions in Egypt for his doctoral thesis. Those close to him have stated that he was also interested in researching the state's and military's dominance over the Egyptian economy. Both topics are particularly sensitive in Egypt.
The prosecution claims to have evidence that Sherif tasked informants with monitoring Regeni and ultimately arresting him. The indictment alleges that Sherif and other unnamed Egyptian officials tortured the Italian student for several days, causing him "serious bodily harm." Initially, Egyptian authorities stated that Regeni died in a traffic accident, later claiming that he was kidnapped by a gang, with police later arresting and killing its members.
It remains unclear how long the trial will last. The Italian government has stated that it will seek the extradition of anyone convicted in the case.
