The Italian city of Pescara has called for the extradition of Luigi Giacomo Passeri, an Italian resident sentenced to 25 years in prison by an Egyptian court for drug possession and trafficking. The Cairo Criminal Court convicted Passeri, who was arrested last year, on charges related to narcotics possession and involvement in a drug trafficking network.
Passeri’s family, however, disputes the charges, asserting that he was only in possession of a small quantity of marijuana for personal use when he was arrested. They also allege that he has been subjected to torture and medical negligence during his detention, particularly following an operation for appendicitis.
In response to the conviction, the Pescara city council voted on Wednesday to refer Passeri’s case to the appropriate authorities. The council is urging the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Embassy in Cairo to prioritize the case. Pescara’s mayor confirmed that he has been in contact with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who is personally monitoring the situation, though he noted that it remains complicated.
Council adviser Michela Di Stefano expressed her concern over the harsh sentence and the difficulty of assessing the investigation from afar. She called for Passeri’s extradition to Italy, arguing that he deserves a fair trial and humane treatment. “Giacomo cannot be left in a country where there is no value for human beings,” Di Stefano asserted.
This case has drawn comparisons to previous incidents involving Italian citizens in Egypt, such as the detention and torture of graduate student Giulio Regeni, who died in an Egyptian prison in 2016, and Patrick George Zaki, an Egyptian student at Italy’s University of Bologna who was granted honorary Italian citizenship during his imprisonment.
Italian lawmaker Marco Grimaldi described Passeri’s sentence as “shocking” and criticized the Italian government’s response. Grimaldi warned, emphasizing that human rights must take precedence over international agreements.