Regeni, the trial Cairo blocked: what Italy’s Parliament and Constitutional Court established

25 January 2016 is the fifth anniversary of the Tahrir Square revolution, and according to the parliamentary commission of inquiry Cairo is tightly controlled that day by the police and the security apparatus. Giulio Regeni, an Italian citizen and a doctoral student at the University of Cambridge, leaves home shortly after 7.30 pm for an appointment set for 8 pm: this is the reconstruction by the Rome prosecutors reported by the Commission, according to which his phone connects to the network for the last time at 7.51 pm, at the Dokki metro stop. The charge brought by the Rome prosecutors holds that he was stopped in that metro and then deprived of his personal liberty for nine days, until 2 February. On 3 February his body is found along the Desert Road, the highway through the desert between Cairo and Alexandria.

That evening, according to the Commission, it is the Italian lecturer who was waiting for him who raises the alarm after the missed appointment, immediately reporting the disappearance to Ambassador Maurizio Massari. For the Commission, the promptness is also explained by the practice of enforced disappearances, well known to the embassy. Until Regeni’s death, the report writes, foreign citizenship was regarded as a kind of privileged status for doing research in Egypt, because the worst prospect was repatriation. According to the Commission, the embassy visits the morgue to identify the body even without the required authorisation, and that act made it possible to establish the torture, which might otherwise have been concealed. The government, according to the report, immediately cuts short the Cairo visit of the then Minister of Economic Development, and from April 2016 to August 2017 recalls the ambassador. For the Commission, the failure of the Cairo authorities to cooperate has amounted ever since to an objective obstruction of the course of Italian justice.

According to the Commission, only a few hours after the body is found a version circulates in Egypt about a road accident, immediately contradicted by the autopsies. According to the Italian forensic report cited in the Commission’s report, death occurred between 10 pm on 31 January and 10 pm on 2 February 2016, from massive traumatic injuries to the head, neck and back. The same report, the Commission writes, established that the injuries were inflicted at different times: Regeni was subjected to several sessions of torture before being killed. On 24 March 2016, according to the report, came what the Commission calls the most blatant attempt at misdirection: responsibility was pinned on a criminal gang whose members had been killed in a shootout with the police.

On 26 October 2023 Italy’s Constitutional Court files judgment no. 192. It convicts no one and acquits no one: it decides a question of procedure, namely whether a trial can be held in the absence of the defendants when it is their own State that prevents them from being notified. The defendants are four officers of the National Security Agency, Egypt’s domestic security service. The Court states at the outset that the presumption of innocence applies to them. But it finds that the conditions for a de facto immunity have arisen, incompatible with the right to a judicial determination. The case, for the Court, is marked by an unresolved tension between the defendant’s right to attend the trial, the State’s duty to prosecute torture and the right of everyone, not only the victim and the family, to have the judicial truth established.

Between those dates lies the work of two institutions of the Republic that are independent of one another. The first is Parliament: the final report of the commission of inquiry states that the Chamber of Deputies set it up on 30 April 2019, that it took office on 3 December 2019 and that it held hearings until 30 September 2021. The text, with the chairman Erasmo Palazzotto as rapporteur, was approved on 1 December 2021, according to the heading of the document. The second is the Constitutional Court, which received the question through an order of the Rome preliminary hearing judge dated 31 May 2023. A political body and a guarantee body, two different families of sources: this investigation has compared them, claim by claim, to see where they say the same thing.

The Commission’s conclusions leave no room for doubt. According to the report, responsibility for the abduction, torture and killing of Giulio Regeni lies directly with the Egyptian security apparatus, and in particular with officers of the National Security Agency, as reconstructed by the Rome prosecutors. The Commission writes that it corroborated the investigation of the Rome magistrates, fully confirming the structure of the charges. For the Commission, moreover, the body of evidence was consolidated by numerous, converging witness statements, including eyewitness accounts. And in its concluding pages it writes that those responsible for the murder are in Cairo, within the security apparatus and probably also within the institutions. For the Commission, moreover, the time has come to hold Egypt to its responsibilities as a State, which go beyond the personal, criminally relevant responsibilities of its agents.

The Constitutional Court does not rule on responsibility: it rules on why that trial, in Italy, could not begin. Egypt provided neither the officers’ election of domicile nor their addresses, which were needed to serve the documents: both the Commission and the Court say so in writing. Without service, under the law as reformed in 2022, the judge would have had to close the case with a judgment of no grounds to proceed for lack of knowledge that the trial was pending. The Court decided that, for offences committed through acts of torture, the judge may proceed in absentia when it is the defendant’s own State that makes it impossible to prove he was notified, without prejudice to the right to a new trial in his presence.

This is where the two institutions meet. In December 2021 the Commission recommended clarifying the conditions for prosecuting the most serious offences committed abroad against Italian citizens because, it writes, the guarantees owed to defendants cannot amount to making the trial subject to the absolute discretion of a foreign State. What Parliament pointed to as a matter for reflection arrived by another route: a judgment. This investigation reconstructs how that point was reached, document by document, in the words of the two records.

The web around the researcher

According to the prosecutors’ reconstruction reported by the Commission, Regeni landed in Egypt on 9 September 2015, aged twenty-eight, for the fieldwork of a doctorate on Egypt’s independent trade unions. For the Commission, which agrees with the Rome prosecutors, the motive for the murder lies in that research, and in particular in his work on how street vendors were organised. According to the report, what drew the young man into the orbit of the security apparatus was a report filed by a street vendors’ trade unionist he had approached for his research: from that moment, the Commission writes, a web of informants was spun around him.

On 7 January 2016, according to the reconstruction set out in the report, the meeting between the trade unionist and Regeni was video-recorded with a device hidden in a shirt button, supplied by the National Security, without the researcher’s knowledge. In that conversation, the Commission writes, the trade unionist, instructed by the National Security, repeatedly tried to push him into organising a protest for 25 January, and Regeni refused any advance of money. For the Commission, this confirms that the date points to an operation by the security apparatus.

The date, in the report’s account, is not a detail. According to the Commission, the huge security deployment in Cairo on the anniversary of Tahrir Square makes it hardly credible that a criminal act against Regeni could have occurred without attracting the attention of the security apparatus. And the report writes that there was all the time needed to intervene and save Giulio Regeni’s life, and that responsibility for this inaction lies with the Egyptian leadership.

The report also clears away the alternative theories. According to the Commission, Regeni was in contact with neither the Italian nor the British intelligence services, and no document in the case is covered by State secrecy. For the Commission, most Italian letters rogatory went unanswered, and the Cairo metro footage, which could have been decisive, turned out to be interrupted precisely at the relevant times. The technical and scientific investigations, the report writes, point to the near certainty that the log files were tampered with.

The wall of notifications

On 4 December 2018, according to the Commission, the Rome prosecutors entered five members of the Egyptian security apparatus in the register of offences, for complicity in kidnapping. To move forward, documents have to be served, and to serve them an address is needed. According to what the prosecutor told the Commission, the letter rogatory in which Rome asked Egypt for the suspects’ election of domicile is dated 28 April 2019, and it went unanswered. The government’s diplomatic efforts to obtain it, the Commission writes, proved fruitless.

On 30 November 2020, according to the report, the last meeting between the two prosecution offices was held by videoconference, and Egypt’s Public Prosecution maintained that the actual perpetrator of the murder was still unknown. At the end of 2020 a memorandum arrived: the Constitutional Court dates it to 26 December 2020 and describes it as a mere dismissal order clearing the four officers of the National Security Agency. According to the Rome judge’s order as reported by the Court, Egypt invoked it as ne bis in idem, even though the dismissal was decided not by an independent judge but by the investigating body itself, which under Egyptian law is not autonomous from the government. For the Commission, that document is the “tombstone” of judicial cooperation.

On 20 January 2021 the Rome prosecutors requested that four officers be sent to trial. For the fifth suspect, according to the Commission, they requested dismissal for insufficient evidence. The four, declared untraceable by decrees of 28 January 2020, are charged with aggravated kidnapping, and only one of them is also charged with aggravated grievous bodily harm and murder. The Commission’s report, which sets out the charges, names them: General Tariq Sabir, Colonels Athar Kamel Mohamed Ibrahim and Uhsam Helmi, and Major Magdi Ibrahim Abdelal Sharif, who alone is also charged with bodily harm and murder. The presumption of innocence applies to all of them, as the Constitutional Court expressly recalls. The records examined for this article contain no conviction.

On 25 May 2021 the Rome preliminary hearing judge ordered that the case proceed in absentia and sent the four officers to trial before the Assize Court, with the first hearing on 14 October 2021. The judge found that the defendants were fully aware of the proceedings, partly because they had been questioned several times by the Egyptian judiciary on letters rogatory and because they belonged to the security apparatus. On 14 October 2021 the Rome Assize Court annulled the declaration of absence and the decree ordering the trial, and returned the case file to the preliminary hearing judge. For the Assize Court, there was insufficient evidence that the defendants actually knew of the summons to trial and were evading the proceedings: the obstruction, according to the judges, came from the Egyptian authorities, and it was not proven that the defendants had played a part in it.

On 1 December 2021 the Commission approved its report, and on that point it is unequivocal: for the report, the halt is merely procedural in nature and does not prejudice the conclusions of the investigating magistrates, which the Commission shares. The failure to communicate the election of domicile, according to the Commission, sounds like an admission and breaches customary international law and the Convention against Torture. The Commission considers that Italy is entitled to open an international dispute with Egypt under Article 30 of that Convention, and proposes considering the so-called Magnitsky Act at European level.

The trap of the reform

On 10 January 2022, after fresh searches, the preliminary hearing judge ordered personal service on the defendants; on 11 April 2022, as it was impossible to trace them, he suspended the trial. The Rome prosecutors challenged the suspension before the Court of Cassation as an aberrant act, but the first criminal division declared the appeal inadmissible in judgment no. 5675 of 2023, whose reasons were filed on 9 February 2023. In the meantime the reform of criminal procedure, Legislative Decree no. 150 of 2022, had come into force. For trials already suspended, a transitional rule provides that, if the defendant remains untraceable, a judgment of no grounds to proceed for lack of knowledge that the trial is pending must be issued.

For the Constitutional Court, that judgment would over time have become final for three of the four defendants, because they answer only for kidnapping, an offence subject to a limitation period. The closure, in other words, would not have been a pause but an end. According to the Court, the Egyptian State’s failure to communicate the addresses of its own employees had prevented, and was bound to prevent indefinitely, a trial required by the New York Convention against Torture.

It is at this point, on 31 May 2023, that the Rome preliminary hearing judge referred the question to the Constitutional Court, in an order entered as no. 89 in the 2023 register of referral orders. Among the established facts of the case, according to the judge, were the Egyptian authorities’ intention not to assist with the summons to trial and the defendants’ knowledge of the proceedings against them in Italy. Without an intervention, the referring judge writes, the rule would allow the foreign State to set up an impunity-free zone for its own citizen-officials.

The Court reports that the closure of the Egyptian investigation was invoked before the Italian ministerial delegation even to refuse the officials’ addresses, where the trial documents could be served. And it cites the European Parliament resolution of 24 November 2022, which urges Egypt to cooperate fully with the Italian investigation and to serve the officers with the proceedings against them. For the Court, these elements make the judge’s claim of a lack of cooperation between States not implausible.

What the Constitutional Court decided

The Court reached its decision on 27 September 2023 at Palazzo della Consulta, with Silvana Sciarra presiding and Judge Stefano Petitti as rapporteur and drafter; the judgment was filed on 26 October and published in the Official Gazette of 2 November 2023. The questions are well founded with reference to Articles 2, 3 and 117(1) of the Constitution, the latter in conjunction with the New York Convention against Torture, while those concerning Articles 24, 111 and 112 are deemed absorbed.

The reasoning starts from the offence. For the Court, torture is an offence against the person and a crime against humanity, and its prohibition is peremptory. The Convention, ratified by Italy through Law no. 498 of 1988 and by Egypt on 25 June 1986, defines torture as severe suffering intentionally inflicted by a public official or by a person acting in an official capacity. In ratifying it, Italy chose to punish under its own law, at the request of the Justice Minister, a foreign national who commits acts of torture abroad against an Italian citizen, and in Regeni’s case that request dates from 23 March 2016.

The Convention obliges States to afford one another the widest judicial assistance in torture proceedings, and for the Court communicating the suspects’ addresses clearly falls within that obligation. On this point the Commission’s report had already said the same thing in 2021: the obligation of judicial assistance derives from the United Nations Convention against Torture, ratified by both Italy and Egypt. Citing the European Court of Human Rights, the Constitutional Court recalls that the prohibition of torture is also breached when there is no effective investigation, and that the right to the truth belongs not only to the victim and the family but also to the public.

On this basis the Court writes that, without prejudice to the presumption of innocence of the four Egyptian officials, a de facto immunity extra ordinem has objectively arisen. The gap, it adds, unreasonably opened a space of criminal immunity, all the more so since Italy, in ratifying the Convention, chose to prosecute torture committed abroad against its own citizens.

Establishing crimes of torture in the public forms of a criminal trial corresponds to a constitutional and supranational obligation

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, point 17 of the Conclusions on points of law (our translation)

The decision has precise boundaries. The new case of trial in absentia applies only to offences committed through acts of torture, and only when the perpetrator is a public official. Nor does it take anything away from the safeguards: the defendant’s rights of defence are not sacrificed but deferred in time, and the defendant can at any moment have his procedural rights restored, even simply by appearing. Kept in the dark by his own State, the Court writes, the defendant must be presumed to be blamelessly unaware of the stages of the trial. The possibility of reopening the trial, it concludes, does not reduce it to a mere semblance, because establishing crimes of torture in a public trial corresponds to a constitutional and supranational obligation.

The operative part declares unconstitutional Article 420-bis(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure insofar as it does not provide that the judge proceeds in absentia for offences committed through acts of torture when, owing to the lack of assistance from the defendant’s State, it is impossible to prove that the defendant, although aware of the proceedings, was informed of the trial. The defendant’s right to a new trial in his presence for a review of the merits of the case is preserved.

Where the two records coincide

Placed side by side, the parliamentary report and the constitutional judgment coincide on a series of facts. Both place the abduction between 25 January and 2 February 2016 and the discovery of the body on 3 February, along the Desert Road between Cairo and Alexandria. Both identify the defendants as four officers of the National Security Agency, whose committal for trial was requested on 20 January 2021. Both record the committal for trial of 25 May 2021 and its annulment by the Assize Court on 14 October 2021, for the same reason: the obstruction came from the Egyptian authorities, while it was not proven that the defendants were evading the trial.

Both document that Egypt provided neither the election of domicile nor the officers’ addresses. Both cite the Egyptian memorandum of late 2020 as the moment when Egypt’s Public Prosecution rejected the Italian conclusions and closed its own investigation into the four. And both base the duty to cooperate on the United Nations Convention against Torture, ratified by the two countries. In the case file below these claims are marked as corroborated across vectors: they appear in two independent records, from two different families of sources.

Our reading

The Commission and the Court did two different jobs, and comparing the two records shows it clearly. The Commission wrote a political and investigative truth: who, how, why, and the responsibility of a State which, in its words, had all the time it needed to save a researcher and did not do so. The Court wrote no truth about the facts: it said only that those facts must be capable of being tried, and that a foreign State cannot prevent this by withholding an address.

One passage links the two records more than any other. In December 2021 the Commission called for procedural solutions so that the trial would not remain subject to the discretion of a foreign State; in October 2023 the Court built that solution into the code, restricting it to State torture and leaving intact the defendant’s right to a new trial. The answer, in other words, did not come from the law that Parliament recommended studying, but from a judgment that a Rome judge had to ask for.

What the records in this case file do not say remains open. They do not say whether and when the trial before the Assize Court resumed, or with what outcome: judgment no. 192 stops at 26 October 2023, and what came afterwards lies outside the papers examined here. Nor do they say who, inside the Egyptian apparatus, made the decisions: the Commission itself writes that Cairo’s reticence made it impossible to clarify the internal dynamics of the security apparatus. It is a question that no Italian judgment can resolve on its own, as long as the documents from the other side of the Mediterranean keep failing to arrive.

The case file

This section is generated from ARKA’s evidence register, not written by hand. Every claim in the investigation appears here with the exact words of the records that support it, found in the stored files and checked against their fingerprint. 84 claims: 14 corroborated across independent vectors, 31 confirmed by an official record, 39 attributed. Whether a passage truly supports its claim is checked today by a person: there is no automatic check yet.

Corroborated across independent vectors (14)

at least two independent origins, in at least two different families of sources.

1. Giulio Regeni was an Italian citizen and a doctoral student at the University of Cambridge. 2 origins · 2 vectors

   • «Giulio Regeni, cittadino italiano, dottorando presso la Cambridge University» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «Giulio Regeni, dottorando italiano della Cambridge University» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269, note · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

2. The charge brought against the four officers is that they stopped Giulio Regeni in the Cairo metro and deprived him of his personal liberty for nine days, from 25 January to 2 February 2016. 2 origins · 2 vectors

   • «bloccato Giulio Regeni all’interno della metropolitana del Cairo e quindi privato lo stesso della liberta’ personale per nove giorni, dal 25 gennaio al 2 febbraio 2016» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «lo bloccavano all’interno della metropolitana de il Cairo» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269, note · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
   • «lo privavano della libertà personale per nove giorni. In Egitto, Il Cairo, dal 25 gennaio al 2 febbraio 2016» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269, note · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

3. Giulio Regeni’s body was found on 3 February 2016 along the Desert Road between Cairo and Alexandria. 2 origins · 2 vectors

   • «trovato senza vita il 3 febbraio 2016, in Egitto, lungo la Desert Road Cairo-Alessandria» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «Il corpo di Giulio Regeni viene rinvenuto il 3 febbraio 2016, alle 10.30 circa, lungo la Desert Road Cairo-Alessandria» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 189 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

4. The four defendants are officers of Egypt’s domestic security service, the National Security Agency. 2 origins · 2 vectors

   • «tutti graduati del servizio di sicurezza interno egiziano (National Security Agency)» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «il Procuratore della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di Roma ha chiesto il rinvio a giudizio di quattro ufficiali della National Security Agency egiziana» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «la richiesta di rinvio a giudizio nei riguardi dei restanti quattro ufficiali delle forze di sicurezza egiziane» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

5. The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rome requested that the four officers be sent to trial on 20 January 2021. 2 origins · 2 vectors

   • «In data 20 gennaio 2021, il Procuratore della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di Roma chiedeva il rinvio a giudizio» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «depositata il 20 gennaio 2021» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

6. On 25 May 2021 the Rome preliminary hearing judge sent the four officers to trial before the Rome Assize Court, with the first hearing set for 14 October 2021. 2 origins · 2 vectors

   • «In data 25 maggio 2021, il Giudice dell’udienza preliminare del Tribunale di Roma, verificata la regolarita’ delle notifiche eseguite ai sensi dell’art. 159 cod. proc. pen., con ordinanza ex art. 420-bis dello stesso codice disponeva procedersi in assenza degli imputati, rinviandoli a giudizio dinanzi alla Corte di assise di Roma per l’udienza del 14 ottobre 2021» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «ha rinviato a giudizio i 4 ufficiali della National Security» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 270, note · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

7. On 14 October 2021 the Rome Assize Court annulled the declaration that the defendants were absent and the decree sending them to trial, and returned the case file to the preliminary hearing judge. 2 origins · 2 vectors

   • «All’udienza dibattimentale del 14 ottobre 2021, la Corte di assise di Roma dichiarava la nullita’ della declaratoria di assenza e del conseguente decreto di rinvio a giudizio, ordinando la restituzione degli atti al Giudice dell’udienza preliminare.» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «a seguito dell’ordinanza della Corte d’assise di Roma del 14 ottobre 2021» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 11 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
   • «annullando il decreto che disponeva il giudizio e rinviando così, di fatto, il procedimento al relativo Giudice dell’udienza preliminare» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 270 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

8. The Assize Court found that there was insufficient evidence that the defendants actually knew of the summons to trial and were evading the proceedings; the obstruction was traced to the Egyptian authorities, not to the defendants. 2 origins · 2 vectors

   • «La Corte di assise reputava infatti che non vi fossero indici fattuali sufficienti a garantire che gli imputati, pur edotti del procedimento, avessero effettiva conoscenza della vocatio in iudicium e che fosse quindi impossibile concludere che essi stessero tentando di sottrarsi al giudizio o avessero rinunciato al diritto di parteciparvi» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «ne’, ad avviso del Collegio, vi era evidenza che gli imputati medesimi avessero avuto un ruolo nella pur comprovata determinazione delle autorita’ egiziane di non collaborare con quelle italiane» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «I motivi della decisione sono riconducibili all’assenza di prove che sostengano l’affermazione che i quattro ufficiali della National Security si siano volontariamente sottratti al procedimento, poiché le condotte ostruttive poste in essere sono state ricondotte solo alle istituzioni governative» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 270 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

9. Egypt provided neither the indicted officers’ election of domicile nor their addresses, which were needed to serve the trial documents. 2 origins · 2 vectors

   • «La mancata comunicazione dell’elezione di domicilio degli ufficiali indagati» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 27 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
   • «Gli sforzi diplomatici profusi dal Governo per l’acquisizione dell’elezione di domicilio degli imputati si sono rivelati infruttuosi» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 11 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
   • «e’ stato opposto alla delegazione ministeriale italiana - come questa stessa ha riferito - finanche per negare il rilascio degli indirizzi dei funzionari, dove notificare gli atti di avvio del processo penale in Italia» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

10. At the end of 2020, in a memorandum dated 26 December, Egypt’s Public Prosecution rejected the conclusions of the Rome prosecutors and closed its own investigation into the four officers with a dismissal. 2 origins · 2 vectors

    • «nel memorandum trasmesso alle autorità italiane a fine 2020 per rigettare integralmente e recisamente le conclusioni della Procura della Repubblica di Roma» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 12 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «un semplice provvedimento di archiviazione (memorandum del 26 dicembre 2020), adottato, a discarico dei quattro ufficiali della National Security Agency» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

11. The United Nations Convention against Torture has been ratified by both Italy and Egypt. 2 origins · 2 vectors

    • «la Convenzione delle Nazioni Unite contro la tortura, ratificata sia dall’Italia sia dall’Egitto» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 13 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «Ratificata sia dall’Italia, con la legge n. 498 del 1988, sia dall’Egitto, in data 25 giugno 1986» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

12. The Convention against Torture obliges the States that have ratified it to provide mutual judicial assistance in torture proceedings; for the Constitutional Court, communicating the suspects’ addresses falls within that obligation. 2 origins · 2 vectors

    • «l’obbligo dell’assistenza giudiziaria deriva dalla Convenzione delle Nazioni Unite contro la tortura» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 13 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «Ai sensi dell’art. 9, comma 1, CAT, gli Stati parte si «prestano l’assistenza giudiziaria piu’ vasta possibile» in ogni procedimento penale inerente ai reati di tortura» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «La comunicazione degli indirizzi degli indagati, funzionale alla notifica degli atti processuali, rientra evidentemente nel perimetro dell’assistenza «piu’ vasta possibile».» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

13. Both the Commission and the Rome judge, whose assessment the Constitutional Court found not implausible, wrote that the Egyptian authorities did not cooperate with the Italian ones to allow the trial to be held. 2 origins · 2 vectors

    • «la mancata collaborazione delle autorità del Cairo si configura come un’oggettiva ostruzione al naturale decorso» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 16 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «Dal complesso di questa attivita’ emergeva la mancanza di una reale volonta’ collaborativa delle autorita’ egiziane» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «Sono elementi idonei a corroborare come non implausibile la prospettazione del rimettente circa un difetto di cooperazione interstatuale» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

14. The Commission’s report sets out the charges: kidnapping is charged against a general, two colonels and a major; the major alone is also charged with grievous bodily harm and murder. 2 origins · 2 vectors

    • «Capi di imputazione nei confronti di: TARIQ SABIR» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269, note · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «Generale della Polizia presso il Dipartimento di Sicurezza Nazionale» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269, note · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «ATHAR KAMEL MOHAMED IBRAHIM» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269, note · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «UHSAM HELMI» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269, note · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «Maggiore in servizio presso la sicurezza nazionale» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269, note · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «Per il solo Magdi Ibrahim Abdelal Sharif» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269, note · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «a notificare al generale [S. T.], al colonnello [I. M. A. K.], al colonnello [H. U.] e al Major [S. A. M. I.]» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «Il solo S. A. M. I. era altresi’ imputato dei delitti di lesioni personali e omicidio pluriaggravati» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

Confirmed by an official record (31)

established by the court or by the procedural account of a ruling (one origin, but a formal record).

1. The four defendants were declared untraceable by decrees of 28 January 2020. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «cittadini egiziani, dichiarati irreperibili con decreti del 28 gennaio 2020» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «era ascritta l’imputazione di sequestro di persona pluriaggravato» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

2. Only one of the four is also charged with aggravated grievous bodily harm and murder. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «Il solo S. A. M. I. era altresi’ imputato dei delitti di lesioni personali e omicidio pluriaggravati» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

3. In May 2021 the preliminary hearing judge found that the defendants were fully aware of the proceedings, partly because they had been questioned several times by the Egyptian judiciary on letters rogatory and because they belonged to the security apparatus. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «il GUP riteneva che gli imputati avessero avuto piena consapevolezza dell’esistenza del procedimento a loro carico» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «per essere stati essi piu’ volte sentiti dalla magistratura egiziana in rogatoria e piu’ volte invitati a eleggere domicilio in Italia, ma anche in ragione della loro appartenenza all’apparato di sicurezza locale» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

4. After fresh searches, on 10 January 2022 the judge ordered personal service on the defendants; on 11 April 2022, as it had not been possible to trace them, he suspended the trial. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «In data 10 gennaio 2022, nell’udienza successiva alla restituzione degli atti» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «disponeva quindi, previe nuove ricerche, la notifica personale ai medesimi per l’ulteriore udienza dell’11 aprile 2022» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «considerata la perdurante impossibilita’ di rintracciare gli imputati, il giudice ordinava la sospensione del processo» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

5. The Rome prosecutors challenged the suspension before the Court of Cassation as an aberrant act; the first criminal division declared the appeal inadmissible in judgment no. 5675 of 2023, with reasons filed on 9 February 2023. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «ricorreva per cassazione, denunciandola come atto abnorme, per induzione di una stasi processuale» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «Il ricorso era dichiarato inammissibile dalla Corte di cassazione, prima sezione penale, con sentenza resa nella camera di consiglio del 15 luglio 2022, la cui motivazione era depositata in data 9 febbraio 2023 (sentenza n. 5675 del 2023).» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

6. According to the Rome judge’s order as reported by the Court, the Egyptian authorities invoked the ne bis in idem principle on the basis of a dismissal decided not by an independent judge but by the investigating body itself, which is not autonomous from the government. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «manifestata in particolare con l’opposizione del principio del ne bis in idem sulla base di un semplice provvedimento di archiviazione» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «non da un giudice terzo e imparziale, ma dallo stesso organo inquirente, non autonomo, nell’ordinamento egiziano, rispetto all’autorita’ di Governo» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

7. Under the reform introduced by Legislative Decree no. 150 of 2022, if the defendant cannot be traced and none of the permitted cases of absence applies, the judge must issue a judgment of no grounds to proceed for lack of knowledge that the trial is pending. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «il giudice pronuncia sentenza inappellabile di non doversi procedere per mancata conoscenza della pendenza del processo» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «deve essere emessa sentenza di non doversi procedere per mancata conoscenza della pendenza del processo» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
   • «deve trovare applicazione la disciplina transitoria di cui all’art. 89, comma 2, del d.lgs. n. 150 del 2022» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

8. The question reached the Constitutional Court through the order of the preliminary hearing judge of the Rome Tribunal of 31 May 2023, entered as no. 89 in the 2023 register of referral orders. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «con ordinanza del 31 maggio 2023, iscritta al n. 89 del registro ordinanze 2023» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

9. The Justice Minister’s request to prosecute in Italy the acts of torture inflicted on Regeni dates from 23 March 2016. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «Per l’accertamento in Italia degli atti di tortura inflitti al cittadino Giulio Regeni, la richiesta del Ministro della giustizia e’ intervenuta in data in data 23 marzo 2016» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

10. The Court cites the European Parliament resolution of 24 November 2022, which urges Egypt to cooperate fully with the Italian investigation and to serve the officers with the proceedings against them. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «Un ulteriore elemento viene dalla Risoluzione del 24 novembre 2022 sulla situazione dei diritti umani in Egitto, nella quale il Parlamento europeo «esorta l’Egitto a cooperare pienamente con le indagini delle autorita’ italiane» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «il procedimento giudiziario a loro carico in Italia»» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

11. The Court found the questions well founded with reference to Articles 2, 3 and 117(1) of the Constitution, the latter in conjunction with the New York Convention against Torture. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «tali questioni sono fondate, in riferimento agli artt. 2, 3 e 117, primo comma, Cost., quest’ultimo in relazione alla Convenzione di New York contro la tortura» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

12. The questions raised with reference to Articles 24, 111 and 112 of the Constitution were deemed absorbed. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «Restano assorbite le questioni di legittimita’ costituzionale sollevate in riferimento agli artt. 24, 111 e 112 Cost.» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

13. For the Court, torture is an offence against the person and a crime against humanity, and its prohibition is peremptory. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «La tortura e’ un delitto contro la persona e un crimine contro l’umanita’.» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «da attribuire al divieto carattere inderogabile» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

14. The Convention against Torture defines torture as severe suffering intentionally inflicted by a public official or by a person acting in an official capacity. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «il termine "tortura" indica qualsiasi atto mediante il quale sono intenzionalmente inflitti ad una persona dolore o sofferenze forti, fisiche o mentali» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «qualora tale dolore o sofferenze siano inflitte da un agente della funzione pubblica o da ogni altra persona che agisca a titolo ufficiale» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

15. Italy, in ratifying the Convention, chose to exercise its jurisdiction over acts of torture committed abroad by foreign nationals against Italian citizens, at the request of the Justice Minister. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «e’ punito secondo la legge italiana, a richiesta del Ministro della giustizia, lo straniero che commette all’estero in danno di un cittadino italiano un fatto costituente reato qualificabile come atto di tortura» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

16. Citing the Strasbourg Court, the Court recalls that the prohibition of torture is also breached by the lack of an effective investigation, and that the right to the truth belongs to the public too, not only to the victim and the family. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «potendo tale divieto essere violato non soltanto dalla materiale inflizione di sevizie e crudelta’, ma anche dall’omesso svolgimento di un’indagine effettiva e completa sulla denuncia di tortura» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «non appartiene esclusivamente alla vittima del reato e alla sua famiglia, ma anche alle altre vittime di violazioni simili e al pubblico in generale» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

17. While upholding the presumption of innocence of the four Egyptian officials, the Court notes that the conditions for a de facto immunity have arisen, incompatible with the right to a judicial determination. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «Ferma la presunzione di non colpevolezza che assiste i quattro funzionari egiziani» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «non puo’ negarsi che si siano determinate obiettivamente le condizioni di una fattuale immunita’ extra ordinem, incompatibile con il diritto all’accertamento processuale» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

18. For the Court, the Egyptian State’s failure to communicate the addresses had prevented, and was bound to prevent indefinitely, a trial required by the Convention against Torture. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «la mancata comunicazione da parte dello Stato egiziano degli indirizzi dei propri dipendenti ha impedito finora, ed e’ destinata a impedire sine die, la celebrazione di un processo viceversa imposto dalla Convenzione di New York contro la tortura» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

19. The Court observes that the judgment of no grounds to proceed would over time have become final for three of the four defendants, who answer only for kidnapping, an offence subject to a limitation period. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «con il trascorrere del tempo, irrevocabile per tre dei quattro imputati, giacche’ chiamati a rispondere di un reato prescrittibile, qual e’ il sequestro di persona» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

20. According to the Court, the gap unreasonably opened a space of criminal immunity, all the more so since Italy chose to prosecute torture committed abroad against its own citizens. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «Tale lacuna apre infatti irragionevolmente uno spazio di immunita’ penale» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «lo Stato italiano, in sede di ratifica della CAT, ha optato per l’esercizio della giurisdizione penale sui reati di tortura commessi all’estero in danno dei propri cittadini» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

21. The Court restricts the new case of trial in absentia to offences committed through acts of torture and to perpetrators who are public officials. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «inerisce esclusivamente alle imputazioni di tortura» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «Alla delimitazione oggettiva per il titolo di reato corrisponde una delimitazione soggettiva per la qualita’ dell’autore, che, ai sensi dell’art. 1, comma 1, CAT, e’ soltanto l’«agente della funzione pubblica»» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

22. The Court establishes that the defendant’s rights of defence are not sacrificed but only deferred in time: the defendant can at any moment have his procedural rights restored, even simply by appearing. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «senza alcun sacrificio, ne’ condizionamento, delle facolta’ partecipative dell’imputato, ma unicamente con una diversa scansione temporale del loro esercizio» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «l’imputato puo’ ottenere la restituzione nelle facolta’ processuali, e cio’ in ogni momento, semplicemente comparendo» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

23. For the Court, a defendant kept in the dark by the non-cooperative conduct of his own State must be presumed to be blamelessly unaware of the stages of the trial. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «Tenuto all’oscuro della vicenda processuale da un factum principis (la condotta non cooperativa del proprio Stato di appartenenza), l’imputato, pur a conoscenza del procedimento, deve presumersi senza sua colpa ignaro delle cadenze del processo» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

24. The Court writes that the possibility of reopening the trial does not reduce it to a mere semblance: establishing crimes of torture in a public trial corresponds to a constitutional and supranational obligation. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «non riduce tuttavia il processo stesso a un simulacro» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «L’accertamento dei crimini di tortura nelle forme pubbliche del dibattimento penale corrisponde a un obbligo costituzionale e sovranazionale» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

25. The Court describes the case as marked by the unresolved tension between the defendant’s right to attend the trial, the State’s duty to prosecute torture and the right of everyone, not only the victim and the family, to have the judicial truth established. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «Questa Corte e’ chiamata a pronunciarsi su una fattispecie segnata dall’irrisolta tensione tra il diritto fondamentale dell’imputato a presenziare al processo, l’obbligo per lo Stato di perseguire crimini che consistano in atti di tortura e il diritto - non solo della vittima e dei suoi familiari, ma dell’intero consorzio umano - all’accertamento della verita’ processuale sulla perpetrazione di tali crimini.» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

26. The Constitutional Court declared Article 420-bis(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure unconstitutional insofar as it does not provide that the judge proceeds in absentia for offences committed through acts of torture when, owing to the lack of assistance from the defendant’s State, it is impossible to prove that he was informed of the trial. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «dichiara l’illegittimita’ costituzionale dell’art. 420-bis, comma 3, del codice di procedura penale, nella parte in cui non prevede che il giudice procede in assenza per i delitti commessi mediante gli atti di tortura» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, operative part, signatures and filing (Official Gazette), page · fingerprint e0993fc754a6
    • «quando, a causa della mancata assistenza dello Stato di appartenenza dell’imputato, e’ impossibile avere la prova che quest’ultimo, pur consapevole del procedimento, sia stato messo a conoscenza della pendenza del processo» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, operative part, signatures and filing (Official Gazette), page · fingerprint e0993fc754a6

27. The defendant’s right to a new trial in his presence for a review of the merits is preserved. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «fatto salvo il diritto dell’imputato stesso a un nuovo processo in presenza per il riesame del merito della causa» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, operative part, signatures and filing (Official Gazette), page · fingerprint e0993fc754a6

28. Judgment no. 192 of 2023 was decided on 27 September 2023 at Palazzo della Consulta and filed on 26 October 2023. 2 origins · 1 vector

    • «Cosi’ deciso in Roma, nella sede della Corte costituzionale, Palazzo della Consulta, il 27 settembre 2023.» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, operative part, signatures and filing (Official Gazette), page · fingerprint e0993fc754a6
    • «Depositata in Cancelleria il 26 ottobre 2023» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, operative part, signatures and filing (Official Gazette), page · fingerprint e0993fc754a6
    • «N. 192 SENTENZA 27 settembre - 26 ottobre 2023» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, heading and official summary in the Official Gazette, page · fingerprint ff0a22986ec6

29. The President of the Court was Silvana Sciarra; the judge rapporteur and drafter of the judgment was Stefano Petitti. 3 origins · 1 vector

    • «Presidente:Silvana SCIARRA» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, composition of the bench (Official Gazette), page · fingerprint c35c5cf96067
    • «Udito nella camera di consiglio del 20 settembre 2023 il Giudice relatore Stefano Petitti» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb
    • «Stefano PETITTI, Redattore» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, operative part, signatures and filing (Official Gazette), page · fingerprint e0993fc754a6

30. The judgment is published in the Official Gazette, first special series, no. 44 of 2 November 2023. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «(GU 1 a Serie Speciale - Corte Costituzionale n.44 del 2-11-2023)» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, heading and official summary in the Official Gazette, page · fingerprint ff0a22986ec6

31. Judgment no. 192 of 2023 was decided in Rome at Palazzo della Consulta, the seat of the Constitutional Court. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «Cosi’ deciso in Roma, nella sede della Corte costituzionale, Palazzo della Consulta, il 27 settembre 2023.» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, operative part, signatures and filing (Official Gazette), page · fingerprint e0993fc754a6

Attributed (39)

someone’s claim (a party, an agency): in the text they always appear attributed to whoever makes them.

1. According to the Rome prosecutors’ reconstruction reported by the Commission, Regeni arrived in Egypt on 9 September 2015, aged twenty-eight, for the fieldwork of his doctorate, which concerned Egypt’s independent trade unions. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «Il 9 settembre 2015 Giulio Regeni, a ventotto anni, atterra in Egitto per effettuare quelle ricerche sul campo che gli sono necessarie per completare il suo dottorato presso l’Università di Cambridge.» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 226 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
   • «ha per oggetto le attività dei sindacati indipendenti in Egitto» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 226 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

2. According to the Commission, the abduction took place on 25 January 2016, the fifth anniversary of the Tahrir Square revolution, on a day when Cairo was tightly controlled by the police and the security apparatus. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «il rapimento di Giulio Regeni sia avvenuto nel quinto anniversario della rivoluzione di Piazza Tahrir, il 25 gennaio 2016, in una giornata in cui la città del Cairo era ferreamente controllata dalle forze dell’ordine e dagli apparati di sicurezza» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 17 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

3. According to the prosecutors’ reconstruction reported by the Commission, on the evening of 25 January Regeni went out shortly after 7.30 pm for an 8 pm appointment, and his phone connected to the network for the last time at 7.51 pm at the Dokki metro stop. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «esce poco dopo le 19.30» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 228 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
   • «il suo telefono aggancia la rete telefonica per l’ultima volta alle 19.51 alla fermata della metropolitana di Dokki» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 228 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

4. According to the Commission, on 4 December 2018 the Rome prosecutors entered five members of the Egyptian security apparatus in the register of offences, for complicity in kidnapping. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «Il 4 dicembre 2018, come noto, la Procura di Roma iscrive 5 soggetti nel registro delle notizie di reato» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 232 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
   • «ipotizzano il reato di concorso in sequestro di persona» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 232 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

5. According to what the prosecutor told the Commission, the letter rogatory in which the Rome prosecutors asked Egypt for the suspects’ election of domicile is dated 28 April 2019 and had received no answer. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «La rogatoria è del 28 aprile del 2019 e a oggi siamo in attesa della risposta» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 232 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

6. According to the Commission, for the fifth of the five suspects the Rome prosecutors requested dismissal for insufficient evidence. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «una prima richiesta di archiviazione del procedimento nei riguardi di uno dei cinque appartenenti alla National Security» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
   • «per insufficienza degli elementi di prova a suo carico» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 269 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

7. The parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni was set up by a resolution of the Chamber of Deputies of 30 April 2019, took office on 3 December 2019 and held hearings from 17 December 2019 to 30 September 2021. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «Con delibera del 30 aprile 2019, pubblicata nella « Gazzetta Ufficiale » n. 110 del 13 maggio 2019, la Camera dei deputati ha istituito la Commissione parlamentare di inchiesta sulla morte di Giulio Regeni» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 7 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
   • «La Commissione, insediatasi il 3 dicembre 2019, ha svolto audizioni dal 17 dicembre 2019 al 30 settembre 2021.» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 7 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

8. The Commission’s final report, with its chairman Erasmo Palazzotto as rapporteur, was approved on 1 December 2021. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «(Relatore: on. Erasmo Palazzotto) Approvata dalla Commissione nella seduta del 1° dicembre 2021» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 1 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
   • «Palazzotto, Presidente» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 1 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

9. According to the Commission, responsibility for the abduction, torture and killing of Giulio Regeni lies directly with Egypt’s security apparatus, in particular with officers of the National Security Agency, as reconstructed by the Rome prosecutors. 1 origin · 1 vector

   • «La responsabilità del sequestro, della tortura e dell’uccisione di Giulio Regeni grava direttamente sugli apparati di sicurezza della Repubblica araba d’Egitto, e in particolare su ufficiali della National Security Agency (NSA), come minuziosamente ricostruito dalle indagini condotte dalla Procura della Repubblica di Roma.» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 11 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

10. For the Commission, the body of evidence was consolidated by numerous, converging witness statements, including eyewitness accounts. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «il quadro probatorio, formatosi nel corso della prima fase della cooperazione giudiziaria, è stato consolidato inequivocabilmente da numerose e convergenti testimonianze anche oculari» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 11 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

11. The Commission writes that its inquiry corroborated the investigation of the Rome prosecutors, fully confirming the structure of the charges, but that Egyptian reticence made it impossible to clarify the internal dynamics of the security apparatus. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «L’inchiesta svolta dalla Commissione ha corroborato le indagini condotte dalla Procura della Repubblica di Roma, confermandone integralmente l’impianto accusatorio anche se la reticenza della parte egiziana non ha consentito sinora di chiarire le dinamiche interne agli apparati di sicurezza del regime» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 25 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

12. The Commission agrees with the Rome prosecutors in tracing the motive to Regeni’s academic research on independent trade unionism in Egypt, in particular on the organisation of street vendors. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «La Commissione concorda con le conclusioni a cui è pervenuta la Procura della Repubblica di Roma sull’individuazione del movente dell’omicidio di Giulio Regeni con riferimento alla ricerca accademica che egli stava svolgendo sul sindacalismo indipendente in Egitto ed in particolare sull’organizzazione dei venditori ambulanti.» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 19 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

13. According to the reconstruction reported by the Commission, a street vendors’ trade unionist whom Regeni had approached for his research reported him to the National Security, which from then on kept him under surveillance. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «se non fosse intervenuta la delazione del sindacalista» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 19 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «a seguito della delazione alla National Security, egli entra rapidamente nell’orbita degli apparati securitari che tessono alle sue spalle una ramificata ragnatela di informatori» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 20 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

14. According to the reconstruction reported by the Commission, on 7 January 2016 the meeting between the trade unionist and Regeni was video-recorded with a hidden device supplied by the National Security, without Regeni’s knowledge. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «il tema principale della conversazione videoregistrata il 7 gennaio 2016 dal sindacalista Abdallah naturalmente all’insaputa di Regeni» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 21 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «consegnano al sindacalista l’apparato di videoregistrazione, ingegnosamente celato all’interno di un bottone della camicia» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 227 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

15. According to the Commission, in that conversation the trade unionist, instructed by the National Security, repeatedly tried to push Regeni to plan a protest for 25 January; Regeni refused any advance of money. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «all’uopo istruito dalla National Security Agency, provochi ripetutamente Giulio Regeni a programmare una protesta dimostrativa in quella data» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 22 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «Giulio Regeni chiude subito ad ogni possibilità di poter ottenere un anticipo sull’eventuale sovvenzione» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 227 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «Che la data del 25 gennaio riconduca inequivocabilmente ad un’azione degli apparati securitari» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 22 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

16. The Commission writes that most Italian letters rogatory went unanswered and that the Cairo metro footage, which could have been decisive, turned out to be interrupted precisely at the relevant times. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «la maggior parte delle rogatorie italiane è rimasta senza risposta» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 12 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «proprio negli orari di interesse per il caso, le registrazioni si interrompessero» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 12 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

17. For the Commission, the technical and scientific investigations point to the near certainty that the log files were tampered with. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «Dalle indagini tecnico-scientifiche, emerge peraltro la quasi certezza della manomissione dei relativi file di log» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 12 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

18. The Commission calls the most blatant attempt at misdirection the one of 24 March 2016, when responsibility was pinned on a criminal gang whose members were killed in a shootout with the police. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «il 24 marzo 2016, il team investigativo italiano si apprestava a rientrare in Italia» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 12 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «il più eclatante tentativo di depistaggio inscenato dalla parte egiziana per chiudere il caso addossandone la responsabilità ad una banda criminale asseritamente dedita a derubare cittadini stranieri, i cui membri venivano peraltro provvidenzialmente uccisi in un conflitto a fuoco con la polizia» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 12 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

19. According to the Commission, the first version circulated in Egypt, a few hours after the body was found, spoke of a road accident, a hypothesis immediately contradicted by the autopsies. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «Dopo l’ipotesi dell’incidente stradale subito contraddetta dalle autopsie» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 205 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «Già poche ore dopo il ritrovamento del corpo di Regeni, il 3 febbraio» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 205 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

20. According to the Italian forensic report cited by the Commission, death occurred between 10 pm on 31 January and 10 pm on 2 February 2016, from massive traumatic injuries to the head, neck and back. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «a collocare il tempo della morte di Giulio Regeni tra le 22:00 del 31 gennaio e le» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 203 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «22:00 del 2 febbraio 2016» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 203 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «alle imponenti lesioni cranico-cervico-dorsali di natura traumatica, con conseguente insufficienza respiratoria acuta di tipo centrale» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 203 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

21. According to the Commission, the Italian forensic report established that the injuries were inflicted at different times, meaning that Regeni was subjected to several sessions of torture before being killed. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «La perizia italiana arriva a determinare che le lesioni cutanee sono state provocate in epoche differenti il che, superando il lessico medico, vuol significare che Giulio Regeni è stato sottoposto a diverse sessioni» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 203 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

22. The Commission writes that there was all the time needed to intervene and save Giulio Regeni’s life, and that responsibility for this inaction lies with the Egyptian leadership. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «C’è stato insomma tutto il tempo per intervenire e per salvare la vita a Giulio Regeni. La responsabilità di questa inerzia grava tutta sulla leadership egiziana.» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 25 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

23. According to the Commission, Regeni was in contact with neither the Italian nor the British intelligence services, and no document in the case is subject to State secrecy. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «la Commissione ha ricevuto conferma che Giulio Regeni non era in contatto né con i servizi di informazione italiani né con quelli britannici» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 18 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «non risulta l’applicazione del segreto di Stato a nessun atto relativo al caso» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 18 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

24. In its conclusions the Commission writes that those responsible for the murder of Giulio Regeni are in Cairo, within the security apparatus and probably also within the institutions. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «I responsabili dell’assassinio di Giulio Regeni sono al Cairo, all’interno degli apparati di sicurezza e probabilmente anche all’interno delle istituzioni.» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 27 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

25. For the Commission, the halt in the trial after the order of 14 October 2021 is merely procedural in nature and does not prejudice the conclusions of the investigating magistrates, which the Commission shares. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «ha natura meramente procedurale e non pregiudica in alcun modo le conclusioni cui è giunta la magistratura inquirente, pienamente condivise con questa Commissione» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 11 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

26. According to the Commission, the failure to communicate the election of domicile sounds like an admission and breaches customary international law and the Convention against Torture. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «suona infatti come un’ammissione della loro colpevolezza e non può essere giustificata dall’assenza di un trattato bilaterale di assistenza giudiziaria» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 27 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «viola le norme consuetudinarie del diritto internazionale e soprattutto la Convenzione della Nazioni Unite sulla tortura» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 27 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

27. The Commission considers that Italy is entitled to open an international dispute with Egypt under Article 30 of the Convention against Torture, and proposes considering the so-called Magnitsky Act at European level. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «ritiene che l’Italia sia legittimata a richiamare l’Egitto al rispetto della Convenzione delle Nazioni Unite sulla tortura, aprendo pertanto una controversia internazionale ai sensi dell’articolo 30 della predetta Convenzione» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 28 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «A livello europeo sembra utile valutare l’applicazione del cosiddetto Magnitsky Act» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 28 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

28. The Commission recommends clarifying the conditions for prosecution of the most serious offences committed abroad against Italian citizens, because the guarantees owed to defendants cannot amount to making the trial subject to the absolute discretion of a foreign State. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «almeno per i reati più gravi, sarebbero da meglio precisarsi le condizioni di procedibilità» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 29 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «le pur doverose garanzie da riconoscersi agli imputati non possono risolversi nella subordinazione della possibilità di celebrare il processo all’assoluta discrezionalità di uno Stato estero» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 29 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

29. According to the Commission, the huge security deployment of 25 January makes it hardly credible that a criminal act against Regeni could have occurred without attracting the attention of the security apparatus. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «L’enorme deterrenza dispiegata rende poco credibile che un’azione criminale ai danni di Giulio Regeni sarebbe potuta accadere senza destare l’attenzione dell’enorme dispositivo di sicurezza schierato nel luogo della sua presunta sparizione» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 17 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

30. For the Commission, the Egyptian memorandum of late 2020 is the tombstone of judicial cooperation. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «rappresenta la « pietra tombale » della cooperazione giudiziaria» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 13 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

31. According to the Commission, after the missed evening appointment it was the Italian lecturer who was waiting for Regeni who raised the alarm, immediately reporting the disappearance to Ambassador Maurizio Massari; the promptness is also explained by the practice of enforced disappearances, well known to the embassy. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «sarà lui a dare l’allarme della scomparsa di Giulio Regeni, dopo il mancato appuntamento serale, segnalandola immediatamente all’ambasciatore Maurizio Massari» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 22 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «« sparizioni forzate », ben nota alla locale ambasciata» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 22 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

32. According to the Commission, until Regeni’s death foreign citizenship was regarded as a kind of privileged status for doing research in Egypt, because the worst prospect was repatriation. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «la cittadinanza estera era considerata una sorta di condizione privilegiata per svolgere una ricerca in Egitto» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 25 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «essendo la peggiore prospettiva rappresentata dal rimpatrio» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 25 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

33. According to the Commission, the Italian embassy visited the morgue to identify the body even without the required authorisation, and that act made it possible to establish the torture, which might otherwise have been concealed. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «nella visita all’obitorio per l’identificazione del cadavere, pur in assenza della prescritta autorizzazione» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 23 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «A tale gesto, la Commissione ritiene di poter ascrivere la possibilità di aver acclarato le torture subite dal giovane ricercatore che avrebbero potuto essere occultate se non ci fosse stato un tale intervento.» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 23 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

34. According to the Commission, after the body was found the government immediately cut short the Cairo visit of the then Minister of Economic Development. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «l’immediata interruzione della missione in corso al Cairo dell’allora ministra dello Sviluppo economico» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 13 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

35. For the Commission, the time has come to hold Egypt to its responsibilities as a State, which go beyond the personal, criminally relevant responsibilities of its agents. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «a livello politico è giunta l’ora di richiamare l’Egitto alle sue responsabilità, in quanto Stato, che sono molto evidenti e pregnanti circa il destino di Giulio Regeni e trascendono quelle personali penalmente rilevanti dei suoi agenti» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 17 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

36. According to the Commission, Italy recalled its ambassador in Cairo from April 2016 to August 2017. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «ricorrendo al richiamo dell’ambasciatore al Cairo, dall’aprile 2016 all’agosto 2017» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 13 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

37. According to the Commission, the last meeting between the two prosecution offices was held by videoconference on 30 November 2020; Egypt’s Public Prosecution maintained that the actual perpetrator of the murder was still unknown. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «Il 30 novembre 2020 ha luogo l’ultimo incontro, in videoconferenza, tra le due procure.» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 234 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e
    • «« la Procura generale d’Egitto ritiene che l’esecutore materiale dell’omicidio di Giulio Regeni sia ancora ignoto »» — Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021), p. 234 · fingerprint 8f2d1380e92e

38. According to the referring judge, the rule allowed the foreign State to set up an impunity-free zone for its own officials. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «consentendo allo Stato estero di erigere «una inammissibile "zona franca" di impunita’ per i cittadini-funzionari»» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

39. Among the established facts of the case, the Rome judge listed the Egyptian authorities’ intention not to assist with the summons to trial and the defendants’ knowledge of the proceedings against them in Italy. 1 origin · 1 vector

    • «la volonta’ delle autorita’ egiziane di non prestare assistenza a quelle italiane per consentire la vocatio in iudicium degli imputati stranieri; la conoscenza da parte di questi ultimi del procedimento che si svolge in Italia a loro carico» — Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023), page · fingerprint 08a5fb0aa2bb

The records

1. Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, full text (Official Gazette, 1st special series no. 44 of 2 November 2023) · Gazzetta Ufficiale · gu-cc-sentenza-2023-192 · vector δ2 · source · retrieved on 2026-10-15 · SHA-256 08a5fb0aa2bbc80bbbc7143b0b2709841da339981bc5cff38408b7a7377b7895
2. Italian Chamber of Deputies, parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, final report (Doc. XXII-bis no. 1, 18th legislature, 1 December 2021) · documento camera-doc-xxii-bis-1-leg18-relazione-regeni · vector δ6 · source · retrieved on 2026-10-15 · SHA-256 8f2d1380e92e3271750a9a66e18e12cfe0967adf8318f2640434a0039ed299c8
3. Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, operative part, signatures and filing (Official Gazette) · Gazzetta Ufficiale · gu-cc-sentenza-2023-192-dispositivo · vector δ2 · source · retrieved on 2026-10-15 · SHA-256 e0993fc754a66d78047ace75ed4f980ac10ff497c0b1773791e38152d2e971ff
4. Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, heading and official summary in the Official Gazette · Gazzetta Ufficiale · gu-cc-sentenza-2023-192-scheda · vector δ2 · source · retrieved on 2026-10-15 · SHA-256 ff0a22986ec60f5025ebf8e5061c8a16c0b4a1e90179808e3530656fb9ca93df
5. Italian Constitutional Court, judgment no. 192 of 2023, composition of the bench (Official Gazette) · Gazzetta Ufficiale · gu-cc-sentenza-2023-192-collegio · vector δ2 · source · retrieved on 2026-10-15 · SHA-256 c35c5cf96067ff745ac93b18a9067baefc3522421aaddce0f2c6629f9edd4680