Pope raises Giulio Regeni murder case with Sisi

Pope Francis spoke with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi about the murder of disappeared Italian researcher, Giulio Regeni during closed-door summit talks over the weekend.

The leader of the Catholic Christian church told reporters on the return flight to Rome that he was "concerned" about the issue and had discussed it in private.

"The Holy See has moved. I will not say how or where, but we have moved," the Pope said.

No one from the Vatican press office was available to give comment on the meaning behind the pontiff's words.

The Pope said his conversation with Sisi must remain confidential as it was a private dialogue between two heads of state.

"I had four private dialogues here with the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, with al-Sisi, with Patriarch Tawadros and with Patriarch Ibrahim and I believe that if it is private, for respect one must maintain privacy."

Regeni's parents appealed to the Pope to raise their case with Sisi on April 3 – the same day the Pope's trip was officially announced.

"We're certain that the Pope won't forget about Giulio during this trip, joining our concrete request for the truth to finally have peace," said Paola Regeni, Giulio's mother.

She also said she knew who had killed her son at the press conference.

Regeni went missing in Cairo on the fifth anniversary of Egypt's 2011 revolution, January 25 2016.

His body was found nine days later by the side of the road on the outskirts of the city.

He had multiple broken bones and an autopsy concluded he had been beaten with fists, batons and hammers.