The Italian Foreign Ministry announced Sunday that Rome’s prosecutor has opened an investigation into the death of Egyptian student Mariam Moustafa in Nottingham, England.
“In relation to the tragic case of compatriot Mariam Moustafa, brutally killed in Nottingham, we express our deep condolences and sympathy to her family, and additionally wish that those responsible for this atrocious crime are soon brought to justice,” the Italian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Moustafa, an 18-year-old Egyptian national born in Rome, died of her injuries on Wednesday, after falling into a coma for about 24 days as a result of an assault outside a shopping mall in the city of Nottingham on 20 February.
According to the Italian Foreign Ministry’s statement, the Rome prosecutor asked British authorities to share details of their investigation. Also, Italian Ambassador to the UK Raffaele Trombetta informed his Egyptian counterpart of his country’s willingness to support every action that the Egyptian embassy would like to undertake to reach the truth in the fastest possible time.
Nottinghamshire Police said in a statement that more tests will be carried out “to establish if there was a link between the assault in the city centre on 20 February 2018 and the subsequent death of Mariam Moustafa.”
“A 17-year-old girl, who was arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, remains on bail,” according to the statement.
The assault and death of Moustafa has caused shock and anger in Egypt. Egyptian authorities have demanded action from British authorities.
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson expressed his country’s condolences for the incident and the death of Moustafa. Also, the British Embassy in Cairo expressed shock and sadness at the death of Moustafa, stressing that Nottinghamshire Police is committed to bringing those responsible for the incident to justice.
