Egypt

Italy to continue seeking truth behind Regini’s death: FM

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said that Italy will not stop endeavors to reach the reality of the the murder of 28-year old Italian researcher Giulio Regini in Cairo in February 2016.

Regini, who was a Cambridge University graduate, disappeared in Cairo on January 25. His body was found with traces of horrific torture a few days later.

Suspicions were then raised that Egypt's notorious police could have murdered him.

The Egyptian Interior Ministry has repeatedly denied any accusations of involvement in his death.

In a speech to the Italian parliament on Wednesday published by the Italian agency ANSA, Alfano said: "We will continue to follow the path firmly through cooperation. Efforts will continue with the same insistence".

Egyptian and Italian prosecutors exchanged visits over the case, during which Italy complained of non-cooperation on the part of Egypt. But Alfano said: "So far cooperation between the Italian public prosecutor and the public prosecutor's office in Cairo has produced fruitful results."

Italy summoned its ambassador to Cairo since April 2016 and has not so far dispatched another one.

Egypt handed over in December 2016 information about Regeni's bank accounts.

On Wednesday, the Italian Parliament announced, according to the "La Repubblica" Italian newspaper, the allocation of a scholarship in Italy bearing Regini's name. Upon an initiative from Regini's former colleagues in school, the winner of the two-year scholarship will study in Regini's high school, according to the newspaper.

The scholarship is worth 43,000 euros. The newspaper said that his colleagues are targeting donations adding up to a sum equal to at least US$ 1 million, to ensure the continuity of the scholarship for a considerable time.

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