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Italian journalist returns Légion d’Honneur after France gives same award to Sisi

December 15, 2020 at 5:09 pm

Italian journalist and writer Corrado Augias in front of the French Embassy in Rome as he arrives to return his Legion of Honor medal to return his Legion of Honor to the French ambassador, in protest to that granted to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on December 14, 2020 [FABIO FRUSTACI/ANSA/AFP via Getty Images]

Italian writer and journalist Corrado Augias has returned his Légion d’Honneur in protest against the decision to give Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi the same award during his recent visit to Paris. The Légion d’Honneur is France’s highest decoration.

Augias went to the French Embassy in Rome on Monday morning and displayed his medal to the media before handing it back to Ambassador Christian Masset. He told journalists later that he had a “bitter and sincere” conversation with the French ambassador.

“The ambassador understood the reason for returning the medal, but he disagreed with my decision,” explained Augias. “He said that France will always be at the forefront of human rights defenders.”

READ: France honours Egypt with country’s highest award, bans press from ceremony

The journalist announced his decision on Sunday in an article in Italy’s La Repubblica. He criticised French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to award the medal to Al-Sisi, referring in particular to the murder of Italian researcher Giulio Regeni in Egypt.

The 26-year-old Cambridge University graduate was conducting doctoral research in Cairo before disappearing in unexplained circumstances in early 2016. Nine days later, his body was found covered with evidence of torture. Regeni’s murder led to a diplomatic crisis between Rome and Cairo, which has not been resolved to date.

The Sisi regime faces international criticism for restricting freedoms and arresting political dissidents. However, Cairo has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to respect the law and human rights values.