On September 29, 2023, Italy expressed its desire to avoid diplomatic tension with Egypt following the court ruling regarding three security officials in the case of Giulio Regeni, an Italian student who was kidnapped and killed in 2016.
Details of the Court Ruling
Antonio Tajani, Italy's Foreign Minister, reacted to the ruling by stating: "A ruling has been issued. Egypt has not been condemned, but three individuals have been condemned." He sought to separate this ruling from Italy's broader relations with Egypt. Giulio Regeni, a 28-year-old master's student at the University of Cambridge, disappeared in Cairo on January 25, 2016, and his body was found a week later, showing signs of severe torture.
The condemnation of three Egyptian security officials came as the Rome court issued this ruling last Monday while also refraining from condemning another defendant and rejecting the murder charge against one of the accused. Egypt has refused to cooperate in this trial, and none of the defendants have responded to the charges.
Domestic and International Reactions
Some Italian officials, particularly Elly Schlein, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, viewed this ruling as a sign of high responsibility in the government of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the President of Egypt. Schlein wrote on social media: "From today, no one can deny the responsibility of the Sisi regime." She called this ruling "historic" and accused Egyptian officials of trying to obstruct the legal process.
Additionally, Alessandra Ballerini, the lawyer for the Regeni family, urged the Italian government to sever its relations with Cairo. However, Giorgia Meloni, Italy's Prime Minister, has been trying to improve relations with el-Sisi since taking power in 2022, following years of tension over the Regeni case. Egypt is recognized as a key partner for Italy in areas such as migration, energy security, and efforts to stabilize North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Angelo Bonelli, one of the leaders of the Green Party and the left coalition, accused the foreign minister of trying to downplay the significance of this ruling. He emphasized: "For this government, business dealings with Egypt and oil take precedence over international law and justice."
According to Italian laws, both parties in this case have the right to use two levels of appeal to finalize the ruling. The extradition request will likely only be made after the judicial process is completed, which may take years. Tajani concluded by saying: "Let's see what happens in the appeal stages and the subsequent phases."
