Interior Ministry denies arrest of Italian student Giulio Regeni before death

The Interior Ministry has officially denied reports that police arrested Italian student Giulio Regeni before he was found dead in Cairo earlier this month.

Regeni went missing on January 25, the fifth anniversary of the 2011 revolution. The 28-year-old was reportedly headed to the downtown Cairo district of Bab al-Louq, near Tahrir Square, which was occupied by heavily armed police forces for the occasion. His body was later found by the side of a road on the outskirts of Cairo in the Giza suburb of 6th of October City, showing signs of torture including cigarette burns, bruises, cuts and multiple stab wounds.

The Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera cited Italian investigators who spoke to a key witness about Regeni being taken by plainclothes officers near the Behouth metro station in Dokki, located three minutes from his residence. While the testimony has yet to be confirmed, the newspaper said, it did provide details around Regeni's disappearance.

The newspaper also cited testimonies obtained by “an American journalist" which confirm the story.

The New York Times spoke to several eyewitnesses who also alleged that two plainclothes officers were searching for young men in the area at the time of Regeni's disappearance. One of the witnesses said he had seen the two officers stop Regeni, search his bag and check his passport before taking him away.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry stated on Monday that the Italian team investigating Regeni's death said that what has been published in Italian media is "quoted from some Western media." The ministry clarified that these Western news organizations published “completely false” information about Regeni’s disappearance, and that Egyptian officials are working extensively to reveal information about the conditions of his murder in full collaboration with Italian investigators.

The results of the investigations will be announced as soon as concrete information is obtained, the ministry added.

It has been widely speculated that Regeni was tortured and killed by the police as more horrifying details about his murder continue to appear. Last week, Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said Regeni suffered “inhumane” and “animal-like” violence.

Reports of forced disappearances have been on the rise in recent months in Egypt, with most eventually appearing in courts, often showing signs of abuse and assault. Other people turn up dead and are reported by the Interior Ministry as killed after attempting to conduct a terrorist attack.

There has also been a recent surge in reports of police forces torturing and murdering detainees across the country, including recent cases in Luxor and Suez.