Rome court sentences three Egyptian officials to 10 years for 2016 Giulio Regeni abduction

Rome court convicts three Egyptian officers

Following eight hours of deliberation on Monday, Rome's Corte d'Assise convicted three Egyptian security officials in absentia for the 2016 kidnapping of Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni. Major Magdi Ibrahim Abdelal Sharif, Colonel Uhsam Helmi, and Colonel Athar Kamel Mohamed received 10-year prison sentences for aggravated kidnapping. General Tariq Sabir, the fourth defendant, was acquitted of all charges. The court declined to convict Sharif of murder, rejecting the prosecution's request for a life sentence and three 17.5-year terms for kidnapping. Judges established that Egyptian state security seized the 28-year-old Cambridge University researcher on the Cairo metro on 25 January 2016 and transferred him to a security facility on the outskirts of Cairo. Regeni's body was discovered nine days later, on 3 February 2016, dumped in a ditch along the Cairo-Alexandria highway with extensive signs of torture.

Appeals and constitutional challenges

Rome Chief Prosecutor Francesco Lo Voi expressed satisfaction with the verdict, noting that the trial proceeded despite the lack of cooperation from Egyptian authorities.

“I think it can be said that the substantial part of the accusatory framework held.”

Court-appointed defence lawyers announced on Tuesday that they will appeal the convictions. The defence plans to request a constitutional review of provisions introduced under Italy's Cartabia legal reform, which bar lawyers from appealing on behalf of absent defendants without a signed power of attorney. Legal proceedings could face delays of at least two years, raising concerns over the 12-year statute of limitations for kidnapping. The prosecution intends to examine the court's written reasoning, expected within 90 days between late December and early January, before deciding whether to appeal to pursue murder convictions or heavier penalties.

Magdi Ibrahim Abdelal Sharif10

Uhsam Helmi10

Athar Kamel Mohamed10

Tariq Sabir0

Magdi Ibrahim Abdelal Sharif

10 years

Uhsam Helmi

10 years

Athar Kamel Mohamed

10 years

Tariq Sabir

0 years

Data from the article text

Diplomatic ties and political reactions

The ruling provoked sharp debate in Rome regarding Italy's bilateral relationship with Cairo. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani moved to isolate the judicial finding from broader state diplomacy during public remarks on Tuesday.

“There has been a conviction. Egypt has not been convicted, three people have been convicted.”

Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein criticised the government's stance, arguing that the judgment establishes accountability within President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's administration. Regeni family lawyer Alessandra Ballerini called on Rome to sever diplomatic ties with Egypt, pointing to Cairo's history of obstructing the investigation with fabricated explanations, including claims that Regeni died in a traffic accident or at the hands of a criminal gang. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has instead prioritised ties with Cairo since taking office in 2022, treating Egypt as a partner in energy supplies, migration management, and regional stability. The court also ordered the defendants to pay €150,000 in provisional damages to the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers.