By Crispian Balmer ROME (Reuters) - An Italian prosecutor urged a Rome court on Thursday to forge ahead with the trial of four members of Egypt s security services over the disappearance and murder of student Giulio Regeni in Cairo, even though the suspects were not present. Court-appointed defence lawyers for the four men said no one had been able to reach them in Egypt, meaning they did not know they had been charged, making the proceedings void. However, addressing the opening of the trial, prosecutor Sergio Colaiocco said Egyptian authorities had obstructed the investigation and prevented Italy from contacting the suspects. He said the four should be tried in absentia because it was impossible that they did not know about the high-profile case. What is at stake is Italy s right to hold a trial regarding a very serious crime that might have taken place abroad, but that involved an Italian citizen, Colaiocco told the court. The judge was expected to rule on the matter later in the da
An Italian judge suspended on Thursday the trial of four Egyptian security officials over the disappearance and murder of anItalian student who was killed in Egypt, because of concerns the men might not know about they had been charged.
A Rome judge halted the trial of four high-ranking members of Egypt s security forces on the day it opened Thursday, saying there was no certainty they had been officially informed that they were charged in the abduction, torture and killing in Cairo of an Italian doctoral student.