Egyptian court expels diplomats from Giulio Regeni 'adviser' hearing

An Egyptian appeals court expelled diplomats, journalists and family members from a hearing on Saturday over whether to extend the detention of a rights campaigner who had been advising the family of Italian student Giulio Regeni.

The student had been researching trade unions in Egypt when he was found tortured to death in Cairo earlier this year, after going missing on the anniversary of the 2011 revolution.

Ahmed Abdullah, the head of the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, was arrested at his home early on 25 April. He now stands accused of inciting revolt and terrorism.

Demonstrations

His detention came just hours before thousands of riot police stifled planned demonstrations in Cairo, which came after a protest ban was announced by the Egyptian regime. 

Rallies have been held to denounce President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's decision to surrender control of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.

Ahmed Abdullah entered the courtroom carrying a note on a small piece of origami that read in Arabic "Truth for Regeni".

A fight broke out between bailiffs and lawyers in the chaotic chamber when activists tried to photograph Abdullah. Police confiscated phones to delete the photos.

The diplomats at Saturday's hearing in Cairo's northern Abbaseya district - from Italy and Britain - had clearly identified themselves.

Hours later, there was no word on whether Abdullah's detention would be extended. He was removed from the courtroom, where he had been held in a cage with some 30 other defendants.

Lawyers from Abdullah's NGO had offered assistance to the lawyers of Regeni's family.

Meanwhile, Italian investigators arrived in Cairo on Saturday to follow up on the Regeni case.

The delegation are seeking additional documents and evidence vital to the case, including some phone records not turned over during previous meetings, Italian daily La Republica reported.

Phone records

Earlier this week, Egyptian authorities sent to Rome the phone records of five people, including Mohammed Abdullah, the head of the street vendors' union, a legal source told Reuters on Friday.

During the last meeting between Egyptian and Italian officials in Rome, Italy's investigation team requested phone records linked to the case as part of the investigation.

However, assistant public prosecutor Mostafa Suleiman said in a press conference that Egypt refused to send any phone records requested by Italy as such an act would be "unconstitutional".

The legal source also told Reuters that Italy was requesting help from Google about Regeni's email account. An email was sent from the account on 23 March and investigators are trying to find out who hacked into it, and why.

Regini's mutilated body was found on a suburban Cairo road, nine days after he was abducted in Cairo on 25 January.

The city was in lockdown wit tight security on 25 January, as protests were planned to mark the fifth anniversary of Egypt's 2011 uprising against longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

Regeni's killing has poisoned Egypt's close relations with Italy. Many have suggested that Egypt's security services could be involved, an accusation they have repeatedly denied.

However, Cairo has blocked repeated requests for information from Rome, into the case.

Last month, Italy recalled its ambassador to Egypt for consultations to protest what it said was the slow pace of the investigation and the perceived lack of cooperation.

Agencies contributed to this report.

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