The Italian journalist and writer, Corrado Ugias, said that he had reinstated the French "Legion of Honor" medal after he felt "betrayed" after French President Emmanuel Macron awarded the medal to his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Ugias added that Macron should not have awarded the medal to Sisi, who had "implicated his country's authorities in the murder of the Italian researcher Giulio Regeni in Egypt in 2016."
He pointed out that he returned the medal, which he received in 2007, to the French embassy in Rome, on Monday, December 14, and explained to Ambassador Christian Massett, his motive for this, which is to protest against Sisi awarding the medal during his recent visit to Paris.
French media revealed, during a visit by Sisi to Paris, that Macron had imitated him with the highest French medal, while the Elysee confirmed this news after the Egyptian presidency published pictures of the ceremony.
The Sisi administration faces international criticism regarding restricting freedoms and imprisoning dissidents, but Cairo repeatedly affirms its keenness to adhere to the law and human rights principles.
Personal protest
Ogias explained that his position stems from a personal will, due to two matters, the first of which is to reveal the circumstances of the torture that Giulio Regeni was subjected to before his death, and the second is to protest against Sisi awarding the Legion of Honor.
"These two things angered me a lot ... I didn't think of any other calculations," he said.
Italian student Giulio Regeni was killed in Cairo in 2016 and Rome accuses Egyptian officers of responsibility for his killing (activists)
However, Ugias stressed at the same time that this does not diminish his pride in France, which he considers his "second home".
"What I did was an expression of my opposition to what President Macron did to award Sisi the medal, and it is not intended to take a position from him or France," he said.
The Italian journalist considered that his return of the medal "carries more emotional meanings, and reflects a feeling closer to the feeling of being betrayed after awarding Sisi the medal."
Ogias stated that this visit could have been completed without awarding Sisi the medal, pointing out that when he returned the medal to the French embassy, he reminded its officials of an official visit made by the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2009 to Rome, where he received an official ceremony and a band in Quirinale (the presidential palace) ), But no medal was awarded.
Only two options
On the need for Italy to review its relations with Egypt after being slow to reveal the killing of the Italian student Giulio Regeni years ago, Augias said, "This is a difficult question to answer."
And he went on to state that his country faces two options, the first of which is in dealing with the issue. The first is to demand justice and retribution for a European Italian who was treacherously killed, and if it fails to do so, it will be in violation of basic human rights.
He pointed out that, in his appreciation, the second option is to abandon its relations with Cairo, pointing out that if his country cuts all ties with Egypt, the Italian industry will lose an important market, and this is not a good thing, in his estimation.
From one of the pauses to demand the trial of those responsible for killing Regeni (Al-Jazeera)
The Italian writer explained that he had never met the Regeni family during this period, despite his motives related to him for making this decision.
Regeni, 26, is a graduate student at the University of Cambridge, who was conducting research in Cairo for a doctorate, and then he disappeared on January 25, 2016, only to find his body 9 days later with signs of torture.
A few days ago, the Italian Public Prosecutor, Michael Prettipino, announced the end of the investigations in the case of Regeni's murder, bringing charges of premeditated murder, torture and kidnapping against 4 Egyptian officers, while the case against the fifth accused was dropped due to insufficient evidence.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said afterwards that the trial of those involved in the killing of the researcher Giulio Regeni will be of international importance, and international observers may participate, noting that the results of the investigations into the murder of Regeni in Egypt include evidence that leaves no room for doubt.
Regeni's murder caused a diplomatic row between Rome and Cairo, the repercussions of which continue to this day.
Rome calls for the European Union to impose sanctions on senior Egyptian officials involved in the student’s case, and to review his relations with Cairo.