The university of Cambridge on
Wednesday denounced what it said was a "shameful campaign of
denigration, fanned by political expediency" against Giulio
Regeni's former supervisor, Dr Maha Abdelrahman.
It said this came against the background of "an apparent
absence of investigative progress". In a statement,
Vice-Chancellor Stephen J. Toope reiterated Abdelrahmand's
intention to collaborate fully with the probe into the Italian
student's torture and murder in Cairo in early 2016.
But he deplored leaks from the probe.
In his statement, Toope said "It has been almost two years
since the murder of Giulio Regeni, a Cambridge student, in
Cairo. As we approach this anniversary, we are no nearer to
knowing the truth of what happened to this promising
post-graduate, tortured and killed while pursuing wholly
legitimate academic research. Once again, we recognise the deep
pain experienced by Giulio's family, which nothing can relieve.
"In our community, the sense of hurt and outrage has not
abated. His murder was an affront to all of us. It remains an
affront to the values of openness, freedom of thought and
freedom of academic enquiry that our University stands for. The
heinous manner of Giulio's death has diminished us all.
"It has been especially troubling to note that, in the
absence of apparent progress in investigations into Giulio's
death, attention has been turned to his doctoral supervisor, Dr
Maha Abdelrahman - an honourable and distinguished scholar.
"An investigation led by Italian authorities, with the help
of Cambridgeshire police, is underway. As Giulio's supervisor,
Dr Abdelrahman is a witness in this investigation, and has
cooperated fully.
"It is very disturbing, therefore, to find that she has been
the victim of seemingly concerted efforts to implicate her
directly in Giulio's death.
"Public speculation about Dr Abdelrahman's involvement in the
case has been inaccurate, damaging and potentially dangerous. It
stems from a fundamental misapprehension about the nature of
academic research. It demonstrates a lack of understanding of
scholarly aims and methods. It shows a failure to understand the
intellectual relationship between a PhD student and his or her
supervisor.
"It is not uncommon for academic research in the humanities
and social sciences to impinge on politically sensitive issues.
Giulio was an experienced researcher, who had already spent time
in Egypt, and was a fluent Arabic speaker. He was using standard
academic methods to study trade unions in Egypt.
"Since Giulio's death was confirmed in February 2016, Dr
Abdelrahman and the University of Cambridge have repeatedly
expressed their willingness to cooperate with the investigation.
Last week, Dr Abdelrahman welcomed the opportunity to speak
again to Italian investigators in Cambridge - the third time she
has answered their questions - and voluntarily handed over
material requested by them.
"In light of her willingness to assist, the public campaign
of denigration, fanned by political expediency, is shameful.
"The University has sought all opportunities - public and
private, formal and informal - to push for progress in the
investigation into Giulio's death. It has urged Egyptian,
Italian and British authorities to pursue all avenues of
investigation to arrive at the truth.
"Throughout, the University has been respectful of legal
constraints (including on the ability to comment publicly) posed
by the continuing legal process. It has been particularly
disappointing, then, to see that the same restraint has not
applied in other domains, where the confidentiality of the legal
process has been blatantly ignored.
"The University will of course continue to assist authorities
as they seek justice for Giulio and his family. It will also
defend the right of academics to engage in legitimate and lawful
research, wherever they wish to do so.
"As well as doing everything it can to ensure that the death
of one of its students is redressed, the University of Cambridge
is committed to ensuring that the reputation and wellbeing of
its scholars are always safeguarded.
"This brutal killing calls for justice. But justice will not
be served by undermining the very thing that drove Giulio in his
brief but inspiring academic career - the search for truth.
On January 11 the British university said it was planning to
set up a scholarship in the name of Regeni, who was doing
research for his Cambridge PhD, university press office
spokesman Angel Gurria told ANSA.
Gurria said the university was working on the initiative to
honour the PhD student who was doing research on Egyptian
streetseller trade unions when he was abducted two years ago.
Regeni's former supervisor, Dr Abdelrahman, is "fully
cooperating" with Rome prosecutors in their probe into his
death, the university told ANSA in a statement.
Dr Abdelrahman answered "all the questions" put to her by the
prosecutors on January 9, and said she had "voluntarily handed
over the documents requested" when her home and office were
searched on January 10.
The university said it, too, would fully cooperate with the
probe.
The university had been criticised in Italy for allegedly
being tight-lipped on the case.
Italian media also reported that Abdelrahman's files were
seized because she had again failed to answer questions.
Regeni was abducted on January 25, 2016, the heavily policed
fifth anniversary of the uprising that toppled former strongman
Hosni Mubarak.
His tortured body was found on the road to Alexandria on
February 3.
Egyptian security forces, who are frequently accused of
brutally repressing opponents, have said they had no part in the
death of the Friuli-born researcher, whose work on trade unions
was politically sensitive.
In the search of Dr Abdelrahman's home and office, Rome
prosecutors seized a PC, pen drive, hard disk and cellphone.
Dr Abdelrahman reportedly told the prosecutors Regeni had
freely chosen his PhD subject.
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