ROME – A final report by the parliamentary commission of inquiry on the kidnapping, torture and killing of Cambridge researcher Giulio Regeni has concluded the murder was organised and consciously committed by the Egyptian security apparatus, judicial authorities said. The Italian government is being urged to stop normal relations with Egypt in response.

 The commission was chaired by Erasmo Palazzotto, deputy of the ‘Free and Equal’ (LeU) parliamentary group, and after two years' work their final report was approved unanimously in the hearing Wednesday morning.

 The document clarifies that the conclusions reached are in line with those by the investigations of the Rome Public Prosecutor's Office, which obtained the indictment of four agents of the National Security Agency in Cairo.

 "The responsibility of the kidnapping, torture and killing of Giulio Regeni weighs directly on the security apparatuses of the Arab Republic of Egypt,” states the document, “and in particular on officers of the National Security Agency (NSA).”

 The responsibility is not limited to NSA members. In recent years, the lack of collaboration, misdirection and protections for the accused in the Italian trial are interpreted as proof of the involvement of the regime and the institutions of the North African country.

 It is written, "the failure by Egypt to communicate the defendants' domicile, despite the diplomatic efforts made to achieve it, does not result in mere flight from the trial, but seems to constitute a real admission of guilt by a regime that seems to have considered judicial cooperation as a dilatory instrument aimed at recovering the previous level of bilateral relations, and certainly not the main way to bring Giulio Regeni's killers to justice.”

 However, the opposition of the Egyptian regime to the investigations and the Italian trial has not been met with much diplomatic pressure from Italy.

 Initially, the Italian ambassador was recalled from Cairo, in line with the commission’s stance that "the exercise of diplomatic pressure, even at a European level, remains the most effective resource available to the Government.” However, he has since returned and this, along with the resumption of high-profile visits between the nations, has demonstrated a process of re-normalisation of relations. Business has resumed, notably the arms trade.

 The commission did note, however, that in this case Italy has experienced isolation from the European Union, the United Kingdom (where the young man was studying) and the United Nations, which have all limited themselves to “frankly unsatisfactory statements of principle.” For this reason, the group “believes that it is no longer possible for the Italian side to take a more assertive and demanding position in Europe.” 

 “However, the commission believes that there are still ample margins to be used, including the European Council, to increase the assertiveness of the Italian position and claim the effective solidarity of the member states.”

 Speaker of the Chamber, Roberto Fico, commented, "the Chamber of Deputies continues to keep a light on the affair, giving its contribution to clarify the kidnapping, torture and killing of our researcher. Today's unanimous vote expresses the will and commitment to have truth and justice for Giulio Regeni, and to be at the side of his loved ones.”

ln