Show caption An image of Giulio Regeni, who was kidnapped and murdered in Cairo, from his Facebook tribute page. Photograph: Facebook Italy Italian student was killed ‘for researching Egypt unions’ Rome official says Cambridge student Giulio Regeni was under surveillance until he vanished Reuters in Rome Thu 25 Jan 2018 20.30 GMT Share on Facebook

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An Italian prosecutor said on Thursday that the Cambridge postgraduate student Giulio Regeni, who was kidnapped and murdered in Cairo two years ago, was killed because of his research into Egypt’s independent labour unions.

On the second anniversary of his disappearance, Italy’s main newspapers published an article written by Rome’s chief prosecutor, Giuseppe Pignatone, summarising the results of a joint investigation with Egyptian authorities.

In the article, Pignatone also said Regeni had been the target of Egyptian surveillance up until the day he vanished.

Egyptian officials have repeatedly denied any involvement in the murder of Regeni, 28.

Egyptian interior ministry officials were not immediately available on Thursday for comment on Pignatone’s remarks.

It is the first time that Pignatone has publicly discussed the results of the investigation. No one has been accused of Regeni’s murder.

“The motive can be easily traced to Giulio’s research activities during his months in Cairo,” Pignatone wrote.

“What also has become clear is that Giulio had for months attracted the attention of Egypt’s state apparatus, which continued in an increasingly pressing way until 25 Jan,” Pignatone said, referring to the day Regeni disappeared.

Regeni’s disfigured body was found about a week later in a ditch outside Cairo.

The Italian had been researching Egypt’s independent labour unions for a doctorate at Cambridge. Rome prosecutors this month seized the computer and mobile phone of his Cambridge tutor, Maha Abdelrahman. Pignatone claimed an initial examination of the material showed it was “useful”.

Cambridge University has rejected any suggestion that Abdelrahman might be implicated in Regeni’s death.

The Regeni case has strained ties between Egypt and Italy, which recalled its ambassador over the case.