ELDH strongly condemns the killing in Egypt of the Italian researcher Giulio Regeni. Mr. Regeni was a scholar studying independent trade unionism. He disappeared and was tortured to death on the 25 January 2016.
ELDH finds the explanations coming from the Egyptian government that Mr. Regeni had been the victim of an accident, of a hold up and/or a crime committed in the framework of homosexual activities, to lack prima facie credibility.
ELDH requests an immediate independent, transparent and impartial international inquiry into the circumstances of Mr. Regeni’s death. ELDH calls upon the Egyptian authorities to fully cooperate in such an investigation.
ELDH puts its concern for the death of Mr. Regeni in the context of its concerns about the allegations, originating from many international and national NGO’s regarding the violation of human rights committed by sectors of Egyptian state institutions. Such allegations include forced disappearances, as well as the use of torture, summary executions and the repression against the workers’ movement.
ELDH declares its readiness to cooperate with all international, European and national entities in order to verify the scope of such allegations, establish the responsibilities for such human rights violations and to seek remedies which will put an end to violations of international and national human rights law.