Italy recalls Egypt ambassador over student’s murder

Italy on Friday recalled its ambassador to Egypt over the murder this January of Giulio Regeni, an Italian Cambridge University graduate student.

A statement from Italy’s Foreign Ministry said Ambassador Maurizio Massari was summoned to Rome to discuss the incident.

The statement added that the decision came after Egyptian and Italian prosecutors discussed the matter in Rome and added, “An urgent evaluation is needed to reach the truth about the barbaric Regeni murder.”

Read: Murdered student Regeni is coming between Egypt and Italy

Italian news agency ANSA said Italian officials found the information given by Egyptian prosecutors and police officials insufficient to cast light on the crime and that the Italian side left the meetings dissatisfied.

Regeni vanished on January 25 – the fifth anniversary of the popular uprising which forced President Hosni Mubarak to step down after 30 years in power.

At the time of Regeni’s disappearance, Egypt’s sprawling security apparatus was on high alert to prevent demonstrations marking the anniversary.

On February 3, the student’s dead body – bearing signs of extreme abuse and torture – was found in a ditch on Cairo’s outskirts.

Egyptian authorities deny any involvement in Regeni’s death.

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