Egyptian prosecutor Ahmed Nagy said the body of Italian student Giulio Regeni, who was reportedly found dead on a highway on Wednesday, showed “signs of torture,” the Associated Press reported.
According to Nagy, who is heading the investigation team handling Regeni’s case, told AP that Regeni’s body had multiple stab wounds and cigarette burns, indicating torture and a “slow death.”
The prosecutor said the exact cause of death has yet to be determined.
Egyptian authorities have yet to release a statement officially confirming Regeni’s death, while representatives at the Italian embassy in Cairo were also unable to validate the reports. Egypt’s Ministry of Interior also declined to comment until investigations have been concluded, state-owned Al-Ahram reported.
Citing a statement, Reuters reported that Egypt’s ambassador to Rome, Amr Mostafa Kamal Helmy, was summoned by Italy’s Foreign Ministry to “urge a joint investigation” into Regeni’s death.
Before he “mysteriously disappeared,” 28-year-old Regeni was reportedly last seen on January 25 in downtown Cairo, where police presence was heavy due to fears of demonstrations on the fifth anniversary of Egypt’s 2011 revolution.
According to media reports, he arrived in Cairo in September and was carrying out field research regarding trade unions for his PhD at Cambridge University.
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