Italy distances Egypt from verdict over Giulio Regeni as opposition attacks

Italy has signaled a desire to avoid a diplomatic rupture with Egypt following an Italian court verdict that found three Egyptian security officials guilty in absentia. The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, concerns the 2016 kidnapping and subsequent killing of Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni.

Despite the convictions of the security officials, the Italian government has emphasized that the Egyptian state itself was not found guilty by the court. This distinction has drawn attacks from the political opposition in Italy, who are critical of the government's efforts to shield Cairo from official responsibility as fallout from the high-profile murder case continues to impact bilateral relations.