Italian student Giulio Regeni (Photo: Ahram Online archive)
Italy has said that Egypt has taken no steps or overtures following Rome's recent decision to place five members of Egyptian security forces under official investigation for their alleged involvement in the torture and murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni, Italian news agency ANSA reported.
The agency quoted Rome’s Chief Prosecutor Giuseppe Pignatone as saying on Tuesday that the situation is a “stalemate.”
On the Italian side, everything possible has been done, Pignatone said in comments to COPASIR parliamentary secret service oversight body, according to ANSA.
Regeni, a 28-year-old student who was doing postgraduate research into the Egyptian labour movement, disappeared on 25 January 2016, the fifth anniversary of the 2011 revolution. He was found dead 10 days later in a ditch on the outskirts of Cairo. Egyptian investigators said his body bore signs of murder.
Egyptian and Italian authorities have been cooperating in the ongoing investigation into the murder of the Italian student, holding regular meetings in Cairo and Rome.
Egyptian officials have repeatedly denied any involvement in Regeni’s killing.
Egypt rejected last month a request by Italy for Egypt to officially list a number of national security members as suspects, citing a lack of solid evidence.
In November, Italy’s foreign minister summoned Egypt’s ambassador to urge Cairo to act rapidly to bring to justice those responsible for the murder of Regeni.
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