Giulio Regeni, Cambridge student murdered in Egypt
Giulio Regeni was an Italian postgraduate student at Cambridge University. In January 2016 he went on a field research trip in Egypt. He never returned to Cambridge.
On 25 January 2016, while researching independent trade unions in Cairo, Giulio disappeared. His body was found on 3 February. His corpse bore signs of severe torture – the likes of which are the hallmarks of the Egyptian security forces.
The Egyptian government denies it had anything to do with his disappearance and murder. Yet what happened to Giulio was not an isolated incident. We have exposed how Egypt’s security services have 'disappeared' hundreds of people during the last year.
Disappearances in Egypt
For an in-depth background on disappearances in Egypt - including Giulio - download our report 'Officially, you do not exist': Disappeared and tortured in the name of counter-terrorism (published July 2016)
Our campus campaign
We're calling on the Egyptian authorities to investigate Giulio's death, and hold those responsible to account, with the #TruthForGiulio campaign.
We are also campaigning for an end to enforced disappearances and torture in Egypt.
The #TruthForGiulio campaign is a collaboration between Amnesty UK’s Trade Union Network and our Student Action Network, working in partnership with the University and College Union, UCU, which represents 110,000 academics and other staff.
“We will campaign for justice and truth for Giulio for as long as it takes. Neither we or his family are willing to be fobbed off with false accounts of what happened to Giulio, or with mere fragments of the truth. We need to see everyone responsible for Giulio’s killing - as well as those who seem to have acted to cover it up - brought to justice.”
Dr Antonio Marchesi, President of Amnesty Italy
“Trade unionists and students will be working together in a new, high-profile campaign in UK colleges and universities to demand truth and justice for Giulio, and for all of Egypt’s disappeared. UCU will continue to work with Amnesty and others to shine a light on what is happening in Egypt.”
UCU General Secretary Sally Hunt
How you can get involved in the campaign
From February until May 2017, UCU branches in colleges and universities are getting together with Amnesty student and activist groups in their area.
The main thing you can do is sign a postcard petition calling on the Egyptian authorities to investigate the crimes against Giulio and hold perpetrators to account.
We'll hand in all of the petition postcards to the Egyptian Embassy in London.
If you're a student or local group - or an UCU group - you can order the postcards from our distribution company MDA by phoning 01788 545 553 and asking for “Giulio cards” or citing product code TU348.
Upcoming events
London: ‘Truth for Giulio Regeni!’ Transnational Activism and Human Rights Violations in Egypt
2 March 2017, 6pm
Room CLM 5.02, 5th floor, Clement House, 99 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4JF
Organised by LSE Department of Government
Speakers:
- Sherif Azer (Egyptian human rights activist)
- Liesbeth ten Ham (Cambridge City Amnesty)
- Shane Enright (Amnesty UK’s trade union campaigner)
- Dr John Chalcraft (LSE, Department of Government)
Warwick: Truth for Giulio, Justice for Egypt’s Disappeared
7 March 2017, 12.30 – 2pm
Room B2.04/5 (Science Concourse), University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL
Organised by UCU in collaboration with Egypt Solidarity Initiative, with the support of Warwick University UCU
Speakers:
- Shane Enright (Amnesty UK’s trade union campaigner)
- Anne Alexander (Cambridge UCU)
- Nicola Pratt (Reader in the Politics of the Middle East, University of Warwick)
Leeds: Truth for Giulio, Justice for Egypt’s Disappeared
22 March 2017, 1 – 2.30pm
Roger Stevens Building, Lecture Theatre 1, University of Leeds
Organised by UCU in collaboration with Egypt Solidarity Initiative, with the support of Leeds University UCU and Leed University Centre for African Studies
Speakers:
- Shane Enright (Amnesty UK’s trade union campaigner)
- Professor Ray Bush (University of Leeds)
This campaign is in partnership with 