The criminal case for the death of Giulio Regeni proceeds. 

Following the Constituional Court decision on 26 October 2023 that declared unlawful the rule that did not allow trials in the absence of defendants accused of torture (trials in absentia), a hearing was held on January 21, 2025. The Constitutional Court’s ruling has provided new momentum for the cause of justice in Regeni’s death.

The case continues to symbolize resistance against oppression and the practice of enforced disappearances by Egyptian authorities, and it underscores the importance of states like Italy taking adequate diplomatic and political measures against countries that flagrantly violate human rights. Regrettably, in recent years, Italy has restored its ambassador to Cairo instead, and strengthened commercial relations with Egypt, especially in the arms trade, a normalization of relations that appears incompatible with a commitment to protecting human rights.