Del son he knows nothing more since Last November 10thfrom the day after a arrest in Cairo with contours still to be clarified. It’s the story that concerns Elanain Sharif44 year old born in Egypt but Italian citizenwhose mother says she lost track of after he was stopped by Egyptian authorities upon his arrival from Italy. A case followed with the «maximum attention” from the Farnesina after the complaint from the woman who was with her son at the time of the arrest. The man would, however, be found in a structure also known to the Italian authorities. The mother would have ascertained that it is in the Alexandria prison in Egypt.
The background to the arrest and family connections
Sharif and mother had landed at Cairo coming fromUmbria. In fact, man has been living for several years Terni while the mother is resident in Foligno and she is married to an Italian. «It is a story that inevitably brings us back to the cases of Regeni And Zaky – says the lawyer Alexander Russofamily lawyer -. They went to Cairo where they have an apartment, they were there on errands as they had done many other times but as soon as he arrived he was blocked and they confiscated his Italian passport». On this point, as far as we know, being also an Italian citizen, Sharif had chosen to return to Egypt with an Egyptian passport, and also for this reason the procedure for an consular visit.
The causes of the arrest and procedural difficulties
There is currently little information regarding the reasons for the arrest. “What led to the arrest is unclear, it would be something related to content on Facebook but we have no charge”, says the lawyer. Sharif works inporn industry (it is known as Sheri Taliani) and this could be the reason for the arrest and in particular for having disseminated images prohibited by Egyptian laws.
The conditions of detention and the role of the Farnesina
“In airport he was held in the police offices for a long time and then his mother saw him go out with her handcuffs on the wrists – he adds – The arrest procedures were carried out using only the Egyptian passportthat of Italy was returned to him a few days later.” Sharif was, therefore, transferred to capital prison. «He was there for a few days, in good condition inhuman: without being able to sleep, he could only lie down for half an hour, to sit on a chair, even for a few minutes, he had to pay. The mother saw him for a few moments, the November 10th then nothing more”, adds the lawyer.
Russian he immediately alerted the Farnesina and the Italian embassy. The diplomatic headquarters at Cairoin close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairsis following the case “with the utmost attention” and the embassy is having constant contact with the man’s mother. The woman, not without difficulty, managed to ascertain that Sharif was transferred to Alexandria prison in Egypt. «She is there now, together with her brother who works in the Egyptian police and she hopes to have news of his release but she is very worried”, adds Russo.