Italy will not stop until truth behind researcher’s death is known, insists foreign minister

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano has insisted that his country will not give up its efforts to find out the truth behind the murder of researcher Giulio Regeni in Egypt.

Regeni, 28, was a Cambridge University graduate student who disappeared in Cairo on 25 January last year. His body was found a week or so later with signs of torture on it. The Egyptian Interior Ministry has repeatedly denied accusations of any involvement in his death.

“We will continue to follow the path firmly through cooperation,” Alfano told the Italian Parliament. “Efforts will continue with the same insistence.” Such cooperation, he added, has, so far, been “fruitful”.

However, Italy has repeatedly complained of Egypt’s lack of cooperation with the investigations and it summoned its ambassador to Cairo back to Rome last April to discuss the case. The Italian government has yet to send a new ambassador to Egypt.

According to La Repubblica, the Italian Parliament announced the allocation of a scholarship in Italy bearing Regeni’s name. The newspaper also reported that the winner of the scholarship — valued at €43,000 — will be able to study for two years in Regeni’s old high school before going to university. The scholarship was announced by his former high school classmates. La Repubblica said that his colleagues are still collecting donations in order to reach €2 million to ensure the continuity of the scholarship in future years.