A prosecution official denied on Tuesday that the Italian prosecution is involved in the investigations into Giulio Regeni’s case, noting that cooperation is limited to exchanging information.
His statements follow a Monday meeting between Egyptian Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek with Rome’s chief prosecutor Giuseppe Pignatone, in which they discussed updates in the case and agreed to organise meetings between Italian investigators and their counterparts in the Egyptian police.
A joint statement was issued following their meeting in which they said they agreed on developing cooperation to solve the case.
“Italy is not interfering or participating in current investigations. These investigations are conducted by Egyptians investigators only, and no one can interfere in them,” Hossam Nassar, the head of South Giza Prosecution, and a member of the investigation team, told Daily News Egypt.
He noted that Italy is not part of the investigation process and that cooperation is limited to exchange of information between both sides. Nassar further explained that the Egyptian prosecution is independent, noting that Pignatone praised the Egyptian prosecution’s approach to the investigations.
Nassar noted that the Egyptian investigation team responsible for this case will begin cooperation with its Italian counterpart to collect necessary information from Regeni’s family in Italy.
On Monday, Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni said Pignatone’s trip to Cairo will bring forth definite improvement to cooperation with Egyptian authorities as both parties probe the Regeni’s death by torture, Italian news agency ANSA reported.
“Until now, cooperation has been insufficient. I am convinced that this meeting can at least try to lay the basis for a more intense and satisfying collaboration,” Gentiloni said.
Regeni, 28, was found in a ditch along the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road on 3 February, nine days after his disappearance. Several media reports suggested that Egyptian security agencies might have a hand in his death, based on the marks found on his body. The claims have repeatedly been denied by Egyptian officials.
