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EU Parliament passes resolution to suspend military cooperation with Egypt

March 11, 2016 at 9:20 am

The European Parliament passed a non-binding resolution on Thursday recommending the suspension of military aid and assistance to Egypt in light of the “abduction, savage torture and killing” of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Cairo.

The resolution was passed by a majority of EU member states, with 558 voting in favour, 10 against and 59 abstentions.

The Parliament said in a statement published on Wednesday that Regeni’s case was not an isolated incident and it comes within the context of a dramatic increase in reports of torture in police detention, cases of deaths in custody and enforced disappearances across Egypt under the current leadership.

The statement called on the Egyptian authorities to carry out a swift, independent, impartial and effective investigation into Regeni’s murder and to identify and prosecute those responsible.

“The murder of Mr. Regeni, set against a backdrop of growing suspicion around foreign visitors, sends a chilling message to all those in Europe and beyond who are seeking to build ties with Egyptian society and to promote a greater understanding of the country,” the European Parliament’s statement said.

The statement expressed “absolute abhorrence” at the handing down of mass death sentences against alleged supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The statement also criticised the continued security cooperation between EU member states and Egypt, notably France, Germany and the United Kingdom.