A delegation of UK MPs discussed the murder of Cambridge PhD student Giulio Regeni with Egyptian officials in Cairo on 7 March, UK Ambassador John Casson confirmed. Giulio’s case, and the wider issue of human rights, was noticeably absent from a list of topics Casson asked Twitter users to vote for the previous day.

A storm of criticism from human rights activists and campaigners, including Giulio’s friends and colleagues, seems to have prompted a change of tack and Casson tweeted a picture of UK MPs apparently discussing the case with Egyptian officials the following day.

Campaigners are pushing for the UK government to take a much active role in pressurizing the Egyptian authorities to find and prosecute Giulio’s killers. A petition set up Giulio’s colleagues calling on the government to make a statement on the case has gathered nearly 7,500 signatures.

What you can do:

• Sign the petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/120832
• Share our page of campaign resources on Giulio’s case