The Egyptian national was born in Italy
Public Prosecutors in Rome have opened an investigation into the death of 18-year-old Mariam Moustafa.
The student was brutally attacked in Nottingham city centre by a group of six women, who hounded her onto a bus after punching, kicking and dragging her across the ground for 20 metres.
On to the top deck of the No 27 bus her attackers allegedly shouted “let’s kill her, let’s kill her” and one filmed the incident and posted it to social media.
Italian prosecutors have requested UK authorities share details of the investigation, the country’s media has reported.
The Italian foreign ministry said their ambassador to the UK was closely following the investigation and called the attack “atrocious.”
“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 foreign ministry said in a statement.
After a post-mortem returned an inconclusive verdict, British police said more tests were necessary to establish whether there was a link between the assault and Mariam’s death.
A 17-year-old girl, who was arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, remains on bail.
Other teenagers are under “active investigation,” police said.
Egyptian social media has been ablaze with #حق_مريم_لن_يضيع, meaning: “Mariam’s rights will not be lost.” There has been an international outcry, with Mariam’s family members receiving support and messages of condolence from across the world.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that the “painful incident” of Miss Moustafa’s death “cannot go unpunished”, adding that any officials responsible for medical negligence should also be held to account.
Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust said its “initial review of this tragic case does not indicate any significant untoward incident on the trust’s part, however we will fully examine the family’s concerns.”
