Meloni says cutting ties with Egypt would not bring truth in Regeni case

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has pushed back on calls to cut diplomatic ties with Egypt over the case of Giulio Regeni, the Italian researcher who died in Cairo in 2016 amid allegations of torture, arguing that severing relations would not deliver the truth his family has sought for years.

The comments come as Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani faces criticism for allegedly downplaying the significance of a recent Egyptian court conviction connected to the Regeni case, a decision that reignited debate in Italy over how firmly the government should confront Cairo over the long-unresolved case.

Regeni, a doctoral student who was researching labor unions in Egypt, disappeared in Cairo and was later found dead, with his body showing signs of extensive torture. The case has strained relations between Rome and Cairo for years, with Regeni's family and Italian prosecutors accusing Egyptian security services of involvement and Egyptian authorities repeatedly denying responsibility.

Critics of the government's approach, including opposition figures, have argued that Italy should take a tougher diplomatic stance against Egypt until there is full accountability for Regeni's death. Meloni's government has instead maintained working relations with Cairo, citing broader strategic and economic interests in the region.

Tajani's handling of the latest conviction has become a flashpoint, with critics saying his public comments minimized the importance of the verdict rather than treating it as a step toward justice for the Regeni family.

The Italian government has not announced any change in its diplomatic posture toward Egypt as a result of the renewed criticism, with Meloni maintaining that engagement, rather than a rupture in relations, offers the best path toward eventually securing accountability in the case.

The Regeni case remains a sensitive issue in Italian politics, periodically resurfacing amid legal developments in both countries and continued advocacy from the researcher's family for a full accounting of his death.