A court in Rome on Monday sentenced three Egyptian security officials to 10 years in prison over the abduction of Italian researcher Giulio Regeni.

Hisham Helmi, Athar Kamel Mohamed Ibrahim and Magdi Ibrahim Abdelal Sharif were convicted of aggravated kidnapping. A fourth defendant, Tariq Sabir, was acquitted of murder. The men were tried in absentia.

Regeni, a 28-year-old Cambridge doctoral candidate, disappeared in Cairo on January 25, 2016, while researching independent trade unions. His body was found nine days later bearing signs of extensive torture.

Rome chief prosecutor Francesco Lo Voi welcomed the verdict, saying it was achieved despite a lack of meaningful cooperation from Egyptian authorities.

Egypt has repeatedly denied state involvement and disputed Italy’s findings. The case has strained relations between the two countries for a decade.

The convictions concern the abduction only, not Regeni’s death. The officers are unlikely to be extradited.

Why it matters: the ruling is the most significant judicial milestone yet in the decade-long quest for accountability over Regeni’s death.