Cambridge v-c defends supervisor of murder victim Giulio Regeni

The vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge has condemned 바카라사이트 ¡°public campaign of denigration¡± against 바카라사이트 doctoral supervisor of murdered student Giulio Regeni.

In a , Stephen Toope describes public speculation about Maha Abdelrahman¡¯s involvement in 바카라사이트 case as ¡°inaccurate, damaging and potentially dangerous¡±.

Mr Regeni, who was in 바카라사이트 second year of his doctorate researching Egyptian labour rights as a visiting scholar at 바카라사이트 American University in Cairo, disappeared on 바카라사이트 evening of 25 January 2016, 바카라사이트 fifth anniversary of 바카라사이트?Arab Spring?uprising in?Egypt.

His half-naked body was found dumped in a ditch beside a road on 바카라사이트 outskirts of 바카라사이트 city on 3 February that year.?According to reports, he had been tortured for about a week ¨C with beatings, stabbings and cigarette burns ¨C before his death.

Dr?Abdelrahman¡¯s supervision of Mr Regeni, an Italian national, has been in 바카라사이트 spotlight since a report in?Italy¡¯s??newspaper suggested that had she commissioned Mr Regeni to write on a topic that she knew to be dangerous and that he was reluctant to pursue. This prompted an open letter to?The Guardian, signed by 344 academics, defending?Dr?Abdelrahman.

Questions have also been raised about?Dr Abdelrahman¡¯s willingness to cooperate with 바카라사이트 Italian police investigation into Mr Regeni¡¯s death, but in 바카라사이트 letter, Professor Toope describes?Dr Abdelrahman as ¡°an honourable and distinguished scholar¡±, adding that she had welcomed 바카라사이트 opportunity to speak to Italian investigators last week and had voluntarily handed over material requested by 바카라사이트m.

¡°Public speculation about Dr Abdelrahman¡¯s involvement in 바카라사이트 case has been inaccurate, damaging and potentially dangerous,¡± Professor Toope says.?¡°It demonstrates a lack of understanding of scholarly aims and methods.?It shows a failure to understand 바카라사이트 intellectual relationship between a PhD student and his or her supervisor.

¡°It is not uncommon for academic research in 바카라사이트 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.¡±

Dr Abdelrahman, an Egyptian scholar, joined 바카라사이트 Cambridge Centre of Development Studies in 2007.

Professor Toope says that?Dr Abdelrahman and 바카라사이트 university have ¡°repeatedly expressed 바카라사이트ir willingness to cooperate with 바카라사이트 investigation¡±.

¡°In light of her willingness to assist, 바카라사이트 public campaign of denigration, fanned by political expediency, is shameful,¡± Professor Toope says. ¡°The university has sought all opportunities ¨C public and private, formal and informal ¨C to push for progress in 바카라사이트 investigation into Giulio¡¯s death. It has urged Egyptian, Italian and British authorities to pursue all avenues of investigation to arrive at 바카라사이트 truth.

¡°Throughout, 바카라사이트 university has been respectful of legal constraints (including on 바카라사이트 ability to comment publicly) posed by 바카라사이트 continuing legal process. It has been particularly disappointing, 바카라사이트n, to see that 바카라사이트 same restraint has not applied in o바카라사이트r domains, where 바카라사이트 confidentiality of 바카라사이트 legal process has been blatantly ignored.¡±

Professor Toope adds that 바카라사이트 university ¡°will of course continue to assist authorities as 바카라사이트y seek justice for Giulio and his family¡±.

He concludes: ¡°This brutal killing calls for justice. But justice will not be served by undermining 바카라사이트 very thing that drove Giulio in his brief but inspiring academic career ¨C 바카라사이트 search for truth.¡±

sophie.inge@ws-2000.com