CAIRO, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian top prosecution announced on Wednesday formation of a new Egyptian investigation team for the mysterious murder of Italian researcher Giulio Regeni in 2016.
Regeni's half-naked, tortured body was found on a distant roadside in Cairo in February 2016, nine days after his disappearance on Jan. 25, which marked both the Egyptian national police day and an uprising anniversary.
"The new team will study the case and arrange its papers and will work on taking all necessary investigative procedures to find the truth in complete neutrality and independence," said the office of Egypt's Public Prosecutor Hamada al-Sawy in a statement.
The Egyptian team and a number of Italian detectives held meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday in Cairo, where they exchanged information and views on Regeni's case, according to the Egyptian top prosecutor's office.
"The two sides agreed to continue fruitful judicial cooperation and each side confirmed carrying out all investigative measures requested by the other, amid respect of the laws of both countries," it said.
Rome's prosecution has said it believes the young researcher was under Egyptian surveillance before his death because of his research into Egypt's independent labor unions.
Egyptian security officials repeatedly denied any involvement in Regeni's murder.
Regeni's case caused diplomatic tension between Egypt and Italy and led Rome to withdraw its ambassador from Cairo in 2016 before it sent another back the following year.
The case was also part of Tuesday's talks between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and visiting Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.
Sisi repeatedly vowed to bring Regeni's murderers to justice, blaming "conspirators" for attempting to use the case in causing tension in Egypt's ties with Italy.
