The family of Elanain Sharif, a 44-year-old Italian-Egyptian man arrested in Cairo on 9th November, remain unaware of his current location. This according to Alessandro Russo, a lawyer advising Sharif’s mother.
“The reason for the arrest is not clear,” Russo told *Corriere dell’Umbria* in a video interview. “Apparently, it is related to Facebook content, but we do not have details of the charge.”
Sharif, who was born in Egypt but holds Italian citizenship, resides in Terni, a city in central Italy. He was reportedly with his mother at the time of his arrest.
“He was stopped by authorities and detained for a long time in their offices,” Russo said. “His mother later saw him emerge in handcuffs.”
Russo added that Sharif’s Italian passport was seized, and the arrest process was carried out using only his Egyptian passport.
Initially detained in a Cairo prison, Sharif was allegedly held in harsh conditions. “He couldn’t sleep and was only allowed to lie down for half an hour,” Russo stated. Sharif’s mother was permitted to see him briefly once during this period.
Later, she was informed that her son had been transferred to a prison in Alexandria.
The Italian foreign ministry has confirmed it is closely monitoring the case.
This arrest has drawn comparisons to the case of Giulio Regeni, a 28-year-old Italian doctoral researcher at Cambridge University. Regeni was allegedly tortured and killed after being detained in Egypt in 2016. Four Egyptian intelligence officers are currently being tried in absentia in Rome for his murder.
