Brussels, 16/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - The parents of Italian student Giulio Regeni, who has been tortured and killed in Egypt, called on the EU and its member states on Wednesday 15 June to take measures and put more pressure on the Egyptian authorities to ensure the truth comes out about their son's murder (see EUROPE 11485).
At a hearing at the European Parliament's human rights committee, Giulio's father said he and his wife would like the Egyptian government to feel pressure from Europe and all the countries in the EU. He wanted the EU and its member states to take a number of measures, such as recalling the member states' ambassadors, declaring Egypt an unsafe country and suspending the readmission agreement, suspending arms sales and trade in means of internal repression, and suspending the economic agreement. He urged the European authorities to closely monitor the trial of human rights activists and for European ambassadors in Egypt to provide protection and work with anyone who can provide factual information about Giulio's death. He said that they felt that this could make the action of the EU and its various member states stronger.
Giulio's mother described herself as a parent seeking her way in the institutions to ensure that truth and justice are done. She said people were asking her what the Italian government, Europe and the European Community were doing. We have to stop commemorating and start acting, she said.
MEPs backed the Regeni's demands. On 10 March, the European Parliament passed a resolution on Giulio Regeni's murder (see EUROPE 11509) and Andrea Cozzolino (S&D, Italy) said another resolution, on EU-Egyptian relations, should be ready for July.
Earlier in the day, the Regenis met EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, who told them that she had personally raised the case with the Egyptian foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, as had European External Action Service and European Commission representatives in their contacts with Egyptian officials in Cairo. The EU, Mogherini confirmed, supports all the initiatives the Italian authorities are taking in their search for the truth on the death of Giulio Regeni. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)