Giulio Regeni, half-justice: three Egyptian 007s sentenced to 10 years in prison, one acquitted

The trial held before the Rome Assize Court for the death of Giulio Regeni, the Italian researcher kidnapped, tortured, and killed in Cairo in February 2016, ended with a historic, albeit partial, verdict. The judges sentenced three of the four Egyptian 007 agents to 10 years in prison, while acquitting the fourth agent, intelligence general Tariq Sabir.

The 10-year sentences were handed down to Colonels Uhsam Helmi and Athar Kamel Mohamed Ibrahim, along with Major Magdi Ibrahim Abdelal Sharif. For the prosecution, this represents a crucial step toward acknowledging the Egyptian security forces' responsibility for the young scholar's brutal death.

The tension in the courtroom and the family members' wait

The verdict was announced amid intense emotion and tension within the Rome courthouse. Giulio's parents, Paola Deffendi and Claudio Regeni, were present to witness the reading, accompanied by his sister Irene and the family lawyer Alessandra Ballerini.

Outside the courthouse, the wait was marked by the presence of dozens of journalists, television crews, and citizens who, over the past ten years, have never wavered in their pursuit of truth and justice for the Friulian researcher.

The memory of an open wound

The sentence comes exactly a decade after the tragic events in the Egyptian capital, marking a crucial moment in one of the most complex and painful diplomatic and judicial cases in recent Italian history. While the recognition of the responsibility of the three officers represents a milestone undreamed of for years, General Sabir's acquittal and the severity of the sentences leave open the wounds of a family and a country that continue to demand full truth and justice.