Body of Italian student found in Cairo Rome demands action

The body of an Italian student who disappeared in Cairo last week has been found showing signs of torture, prompting furious demands from Rome yesterday for a joint investigation.

Italy summoned Cairo's envoy to express its "bewilderment over the tragic death" of Giulio Regeni, a 28-year-old Cambridge University PhD student.

Regeni's half-naked body was found in a ditch outside the Egyptian capital, officials said, after he went missing on January 25 while on his way to meet a Cairo friend.

Public prosecutor Hossam Nassar told AFP that Regeni's body was discovered early on Wednesday in the roadside ditch on the outskirts of Cairo.

"This is a murder," Nassar said.

Ahmed Negi, the prosecutor in charge of the investigation, said the body showed clear signs of violence.

"There are bruises and injuries on the body, especially on the face and back. The body was naked from the waist down," Negi said.

"So far we are considering this to be a criminal act, but we are waiting for the forensic report and the police investigation to be complete."

An initial prosecution report seen by an AFP reporter said that the injuries included apparent cigarette-burn marks near the eyes and on the feet.

As well as summoning the ambassador, Rome demanded that its own experts be fully involved in a joint investigation into what happened.

Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Italy expected Egypt to cooperate.

Speaking to national broadcaster RAI from London, Gentiloni urged Cairo to allow Italian experts to take part in the investigation "because we want the truth to come out, every last bit of it".

"We owe that much to a family that has been stricken in an irreparable way and, at the very least, has the right to know the truth."

The foreign ministry also asked for Regeni's corpse to be repatriated to Italy as soon as possible.