ROME -- The situation in Egypt has become even more tense after demonstrations held against President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi recently, provoking the arrest of seven journalists, along with several activists and defenders of human rights, including the head of the NGO that is acting as a consultant for the Regeni family and their lawyers at this time.

 One of the journalists arrested was Basma Mostafa who was 26 years old and the author of the interview with the family in whose house Giulio Regeni’s documents were reportedly found.  Mostafa has been subsequently released along with one other journalist.

 The Egyptian authorities have also announced that they have opened an investigation against Reuters, the international press agency who, citing police and intelligence sources, revealed that the young Italian researcher was arrested by Egyptian police on the evening of his disappearance, before being transferred to a compound managed by internal security services.  They accuse the agency of having published “false news that aims to disturb public order” and of “spreading indiscretions that damage Egypt’s reputation.”

 Ahmed Abdallah, the director of the ‘Egyptian commission for rights and freedom’ (ECRF), an NGO based in Cairo, was another to be taken into custody.  It is his charity that “is offering consultatancy action for our lawyers,” stated the Regeni family.  According to Amnesty International, “Ahmed Abdullah was taken from his home on the night between April 24 and 25 by Special Forces.  He is accused of instigating violence to bring down the government, allegiance to a ‘terrorist’ group and the promotion of ‘terrorism’.”

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