Patrick Zaki has refused the special flight made available by the Italian government and does not want to meet or be assisted and take the usual ritual photos with the authorities upon his arrival in our country.
The Egyptian researcher will arrive in Milan on a scheduled flight from Cairo, then take the train to Bologna where he will stop for a couple of weeks before returning to Egypt to get married. After the wedding, he said, he will return permanently to Italy to continue his studies .
Plans have changed, Zaki said on Twitter. He will not be in Italy tomorrow: « I will arrive in a couple of days , it has come to our attention that the official documents to lift the travel ban will be finalized on Sunday at noon. We will need to make sure my legal situation is 100% clear before we travel. Don't worry Bologna, I'll arrive in a couple of days, we just have to wait another two days ».
Zaki, pardoned by President Al Sisi after a three-year sentence for spreading false news, thanked the Italian government, the embassy and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni , but said no to all the proposals from Palazzo Chigi.
Having refused the special flight, he will leave with a scheduled flight of an Egyptian company directed to the Malpensa airport . Furthermore, he refused the meeting and assistance (with the usual photos attached) of the government authorities.
“The reputation of human rights defenders is based on their independence from governments. They thank and appreciate when things are done for them, as they have been done and in fact Patrick has repeatedly thanked the government and the embassy. ," said Amnesty International Italy spokesman .
