The Egyptian Parliament has condemned the resolution issued on Thursday by the European Parliament condemning the human rights situation in Egypt, which placed the mysterious death of Italian student Giulio Regeni within the context of alleged abuses by Egyptian security services.
Egyptian members of parliament said in a statement on Friday that the legislative and judicial policies of Egypt are its own concern and the European Parliament's interference is unacceptable.
The statement said the Egyptian Parliament was keen to exercise its legislative and oversight duties in accordance to the Constitution and in accordance with the national interests of the Egyptian state and that it does not accept foreign intervention in its affairs.
The statement rejected the "politicization of and the double standards policy [of the European Parliament] in dealing with certain human rights cases," according to the statement.
The statement demanded that respect be shown toward the Egyptian judiciary.
On Thursday, Egypt's ambassador to Italy, Amr Helmy, called on the Italian prosecutor to hold a meeting in Cairo with Egyptian investigators to see the results of investigations into Regeni's murder.
The chief Italian prosecutor announced that he accepted Helmy's invitation and would meet with Egyptian investigators in Cairo over the case.
The prosecutor for South Giza, meanwhile, said in a statement that was cooperating with the Italian Embassy regarding the investigation and had provided information about the last call from Regeni's cell phone before his abduction and death.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has also expressed disappointment over the European Parliament's recent resolution on Thursday as well.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid described the resolution as "unfair" and added that it does not reflect the true situation in Egypt, but rather relied on baseless allegations.
On Thursday, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on Egypt to provide Italy with all the information necessary to properly investigate the death of Regeni, an Italian PhD candidate whose body was found on the outskirts of Cairo in early February. The resolution also recommended suspension of military aid to Egypt in light of recent events.
The European Parliament strongly condemned alleged human rights abuses in Egypt, as well as the disappearance, torture and murder of Regeni under suspicious circumstances. The resolution framed the death of the student in the context of continuing allegations over human rights abuses in Egypt, insinuating the likely involvement of Egyptian security services in Regeni's death.
It also expressed concern over the recent closure of the El Nadeem Center for the Management and Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture.
Abu Zeid said it was unacceptable for the resolution to insinuate that the death of Regeni was linked to the human rights situation in Egypt. He said that Egypt was conducting investigations in close cooperation with Italian investigators, and that the European Parliament should not anticipate the outcome of those investigations as if the conclusions were already clear.
He highlighted the strategic ties between Egypt and Europe and expressed hopes that the two would continue to cooperate economic matters and fighting terrorism.
Regeni was found dead on Cairo-Alexandria desert road in February 2016.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
