Body of Italian Student Found With Evidence of Torture

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

 CAIRO, Egypt – The body of an Italian student was found on Thursday in a ditch on the outskirts of Cairo. The student, 28-year-old Giulio Regeni, was last seen at 7pm on January 25, 2016, the fifth anniversary of the uprising, as he was headed to a friend’s birthday party.

Photo of Italian student Giulio Regeni. (Photo Courtesy of The New York Times)

Mr. Regeni’s body was found half-naked with “evident signs of torture,” namely cigarette burns and head wounds. The Egyptian prosecutor in charge of the investigation, Ahmed Nagy, stated that “there were bruises all over the body, swelling in the hands, and wounds on the face and head.” This form of torture is a signature of a form of abuse associated with the Egyptian security forces. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was from internal bleeding due to a beating to the head.

All of the findings so far have been preliminary. Forensic authorities have yet to release a final report on the incident. Prior to the autopsy, the deputy heard of criminal investigations in Cairo, Alaa Azmi told the Associate Press that, “What we know is that this is an accident.” However, Nagy told CNN that the, “Initial inspection of the body indicates that (this) was no accident.”

Paolo Gentiloni, the Italian foreign affairs minister, stated, “We want the truth to come out, every last bit of it.” He continued, “We owe that much to a family that has been stricken in an irreparable way and, at the very least, has the right to know the truth.

Mr. Regeni was a doctoral candidate at Cambridge University. He had arrived in Cairo to research informal labor organization and to improve his Arabic. He was aware of the politically sensitive nature of his research and according to his supervisor at the American University in Cairo, “He steered clear of anything politicized” and was cautious in his work.

It has not been ruled out that Mr. Regeni’s death was the result of a random criminal act, either a failed kidnapping or a militant act.

Gentoli stated, “Obviously, we are very upset for what happened, and we asked the Egyptian government to cooperate and to allow the Italian authorities to be involved in the inquiry to understand what happened there.” Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ensured that Egyptian authorities will pay, “the utmost attention to investigating the incident.”

Egyptian novelist, Ahdaf Soueif, stated on her Facebook page that there was, “something so extra sad about a person who comes to Egypt in good faith to live and study and gets caught in a nightmare, this obtuse and brutal thuggery that’s the undertone of our lives here today.”

For more information, please see:

CNN – Italian Student Who Went Missing in Cairo Found Battered and Dead – 4 February 2016

Reuters – Body of Italian Student Shows Signs of Torture: Egyptian Officials – 4 February 2016

The New York Times – An Italian’s Brutal Death in Egypt Chills Relations – 4 February 2016

The Washington Post – Italian Student’s Battered Remains Reveal Torture and ‘Slow Death,’ Egyptian Prosecutor Says

– 4 February 2016

Syria Deeply: Pro-Assad Militias Close in on Rebel-held Aleppo

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the weekly Syria Deeply newsletter. We’ve rounded up the most important stories and developments about Syria and the Syrians in order to bring you valuable news and analysis.

Pro-Assad Militias Close in on Rebel-held Aleppo

Pro-government forces, backed by Russian air power, are very close to encircling opposition-held Aleppo. Syria’s Deeply’s correspondent in the city gives a firsthand account of how this “decisive” battle has unfolded over the past few days – and speaks with rebel military sources and activists.

Recommended Resources: Top Six Syria Reads

Syria expert Aron Lund picks six reads you probably haven’t come across before – on subjects including authoritarian counterinsurgency tactics, the key forces behind conflict before 2011, the divisions likely to make the Geneva peace talks fail and life as a gay soldier in Assad’s army.

U.S. Must Acknowledge Military Means Required to Protect Civilians

If the U.S. fails to acknowledge that military means are required to protect civilians and to achieve the desired political outcome in Syria, write Tyler Jess Thompson and Evan McCarthy Barrett, Assad will continue to undermine international law, whip up Sunni extremism and dominate the settlement.

More Recent Stories to Look Out for at Syria Deeply

Syrians Want End to War, Not Patchwork Solutions

Assad Advances in Latakia with Russian Support

Without Political Support, U.S.-Kurd Alliance in Jeopardy

Barring Kurds in Geneva Will Only Make Matters Worse

Find our new reporting and analysis every weekday at www.syriadeeply.org.
You can reach our team with any comments or suggestions at info@newsdeeply.org.

Myanmar’s First Freely Elected Parliament Instated

By Christine Khamis

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

Myanmar’s new freely elected parliament opened this week, signifying an official end to almost fifty years of military rule in the country.

Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar’s National League for Democracy Party, arrives at the opening of Myanmar’s new parliament on Monday. (Photo courtesy of the New York Times)

In November 2015, Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar’s National League for Democracy Party (NLD), led her party to win a majority of the parliamentary seats against the leader of the then-ruling military party, Thein Sein. Mr. Thein Sein, who during his presidency worked to move toward a civilian run government, gave a speech last week promoting Myanmar’s democratic transition.

The military’s influence in Myanmar’s government is not completely eliminated, however, as military members retain one-quarter of the parliamentary seats. Members of the new parliament have also chosen U Ti Khun Myat as deputy speaker, despite his belonging to the military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP). Lawyer U Win Myint, part of the NLD, will serve as speaker.

At least 110 out of the 390 NLD members in the new parliament are prior political prisoners. Ms. Suu Kyi herself was placed under house arrest after her party won Myanmar’s national election in 1990, with the military annulling the results and refusing to hand over power. She remained under house arrest for almost two decades.

Mr. Thein Sein’s duties as president will end in March, but Ms. Suu Kyi is unable to take his place due to a constitutional provision prohibiting those with foreign family members from becoming the president. Both of Ms. Suu Kyi’s sons have British citizenship, as did her husband before his death in 1999. Ms. Suu Kyi has, however, been elected as the chairman of the upper house of the new parliament

There are several other individuals being considered for the presidency, including lawmaker Daw Su Su Lwin and former military commander U Tin Oo. The new parliament will select the next president among three official vice president nominees later this month.

Among the challenges that the new parliament will face are highly prevalent poverty rates, environmental and economic troubles, and continuing violence against the Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic group often persecuted by Myanmar’s Buddhist majority.

 

For more information, please see:

Bloomberg – Myanmar Parliament Elects Suu Kyi Ally as Upper House Chairman – 3 February 2016

The New York Times – First Freely Elected Parliament After Decades of Military Rule Opens in Myanmar – 1 February 2016

NPR – Aung San Suu Kyi’s Party Takes Control of Myanmar’s Parliament – 1 February 2016

Voice of America – Myanmar Parliament Sworn In; Next President Unknown – 1 February 2016