- Egypt. Court rejects Zaky release
- Zaky case. Parliament Egypt: "From Sassoli unacceptable interference"
- Patrick George Zaky, activist enrolled at the University of Bologna, arrested in Egypt
- Egypt, EU: "We are following the case of Patrick Zaki, checks in progress in Cairo"
- Zaki case, pressure from Rome on Egypt. Cairo stops: "He is not an Italian citizen"
Share
by Tiziana Di Giovannandrea February 16, 2020 The Attorney General of Egypt, Hamada el-Sawy, denied that the police tortured Patrick George Zaky, the Egyptian human rights activist and student of the Gemma master at the University of Bologna, arrested by the Egyptian authorities on arrival at Cairo airport on the night between Thursday 6 and Friday 7 February on charges of terrorism.The Prosecutor General of Mansura found that Patrick George Zaky has no visible wound and the prosecution has denied the presence of wounds on the whole body: "The public prosecutor also did not observe any visible wound that could be useful to the investigations, the 'The accused replied by denying the existence of any injury to his body. " This is what Egyptian investigators say in a two-page statement in which they reaffirm their commitment to apply the law and to enforce the Constitution. The Prosecutor's Office also urges local and international parties and the media to comply with the official press releases issued on the investigation. According to the investigators' note, the student did not say he was attacked at the time of arrest or during detention.
However, the young man told lawyers that he was tortured with electric shock, beaten and blindfolded during interrogations about his commitment as an activist. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights reported, an association with which Zaky, before leaving for Italy, worked as a researcher on gender rights and who is providing him with legal assistance. His lawyer Huda Nasrallah said, after the hearing on Saturday that the request for release was rejected, that Zaky repeated to the judges that he had been subjected to torture. The student of the University of Bologna remains in prison while investigations continue on the suspicion that he has spread false news and incited unauthorized protests. In Egypt, the law recently expanded the definition of terrorism, giving police and prosecutors extensive powers to arrest and detain people.
As evidence against the activist, the National Security Agency provided 10 pages printed from his Facebook account, on which his name is read. It would be "incendiary material against the institutions and representatives of the state" adding that Zaky rejected the accusations against him and that the Prosecutor established that he remained in custody during the investigation.
At the end of the flash hearing, at the Mansura Court of First Instance, in which the young man's release was denied, Patrick was taken back to a security cell in nearby Talkha. On Saturday 22 February the Court will decide whether to renew the pre-trial detention for another 15 days.
Torchlight procession convened in Rome
On Thursday 20 February at 6.30 pm a torchlight procession will be held in Rome in Piazza del Pantheon to express solidarity and ask for the release of Patrick Zaky. The presidents of the Center Left of the Municipalities I, II, III and VIII of Rome organized the event, respectively Sabrina Alfonsi, Francesca del Bello, Giovanni Caudo and Amedeo Ciacchiari. The initiative was joined by Nicola Zingaretti, secretary of the Democratic Party, who says: "Let's mobilize for his release". Many other politicians are joining the initiative.
The four Bolognese founders of the sardines , Mattia Santori, Giulia Trappoloni, Andrea Gareffa and Roberto Morotti meanwhile are organizing the sit-it scheduled for tomorrow February 17 in Bologna for Patrick Zaky.
Amnesty Italia also continues to organize demonstrations in various parts of Italy to demand the release of Patrick George Zaky.