A ‘Truth for Giulio Regeni’ rally is due to take place today, protesting the lack of transparency in the Egyptian investigation into the murder of the Cambridge student brutally killed in Cairo in January.

The event, organised by Cambridge University Amnesty International, Amnesty International Cambridge City Group, and supported by the Egypt Solidarity Initiative, criticises the Egyptian regime for its lack of transparency regarding the investigation into the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni.

Despite Egypt agreeing to reopen the case, tensions with Italy have continued to rise. After two days of meetings in Rome failed to yield results, Italy withdrew its ambassador to Cairo, Maurizio Massari, on 8th April. The following day, Egyptian authorities sparked further controversy by refusing to hand phone records over to Italian investigators.

Liesbeth ten Ham, chair of Amnesty International Cambridge City Group, linked the incident to the human rights failings of the al-Sisi regime in Egypt, which gained power by coup in 2013.

“What happened to Giulio Regeni was truly appalling,” she said. “We’re deeply worried that the Egyptian authorities are attempting to cover up his death.”

In the UK, petitions launched by colleagues and friends of Regeni in the UK have already prompted action. After one petition to the UK government gained 10,000 signatories, the Foreign Office called for a full and transparent investigation.

CUSU, former Liberal Democrat MP Julian Huppert, Daniel Zeichner and other groups had all previously called for a robust inquiry into his murder.

But the Egyptian government has drawn criticism for a perceived long silence and slow response.

The Middle East Eye reported that Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond had written to David Cameron as early as 24th March expressing concerns over the Egyptian government’s handling of the case, leading some to suggest that the government is prioritising business over criticising the country’s human rights record.

Before the Foreign Office’s call for an investigation, Crispin Blunt, Conservative Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said that there was a perception that ministers had “deprioritised human rights”.

Daniel Zeichner MP, who will be attending today’s rally, called the government’s response “wholly inadequate”.

“Our government should be standing up for academic freedom, not trading it off against short-term economic considerations,” he said.

Dr Anne Alexander, a former colleague of Regeni’s, told the BBC: “It should not take 10,000 signatures on a petition to make the government speak out and add its voice to those who are calling for an independent investigation into his brutal murder.”

“We hear constantly about how UK businesses can benefit from the close ties between the British and Egyptian governments. Yet when a PhD student from Cambridge is tortured and killed, ministers seem reluctant to say anything critical of the Egyptian authorities.”

Regeni, who was tortured over several days, is believed to have borne injuries which are the hallmarks of Egyptian state violence. According to Paz Zarate, an international lawyer and former colleague of Regeni, “Giulio was almost certainly murdered by the Egyptian security forces.”

A university spokesperson expressed support for “all calls for justice in the case of Giulio Regeni” and said that the university had written to the Italian government, making plain to them that “we share their concerns at the failures of the Egyptian authorities”.

Members of the university, including Professor Eilis Ferran, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Institutional and International Relations, Professor Susan Smith, the Mistress of Girton College, and Professor David Runciman, the Head of Department at POLIS, also sent a letter to the Italian authorities expressing their support for the Italian government “in its continuing pursuit for the truth and its desire to see a thorough and rigorous investigation”.

Today’s rally will begin at 3:30p.m. on King’s Parade, and is expected to last half an hour.