THE UNHCR EFFORT TO FREE THE CUBAN DOCTORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003349 SIPDIS DEPT FOR PRM A/S TAFT, PRM/A, PRM/AAA, AF/S, AF/PD, WHA/CCA NAIROBI FOR REFCOORD AND INS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03349 210941Z ROME FOR INS LONDON FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/10 TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL ZI CU SUBJECT: THE UNHCR EFFORT TO FREE THE CUBAN DOCTORS DRIFTS REF: HARARE 3344 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. ¶1. (C) UNHCR ATTORNEY MICHIEL SALOMONS INFORMED CONSUL ON JUNE 21 THAT DOCTORS LEONEL CORDOVA RODRIGUEZ AND NORIS DEL CARMEN PENA MARTINEZ NOW HAVE VISAS STAMPED IN THEIR CUBAN PASSPORTS ALLOWING TRAVEL TO THE UNSPECIFIED COUNTRY WILLING TO RECEIVE THEM. HE SAID THAT IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS ATTEMPTED TO TRANSFER THE DOCTORS TO HARARE CENTRAL PRISON, BUT THE PAIR BALKED. THE UNHCR HAD PREVIOUSLY BROUGHT THE DOCTORS TO HARARE CENTRAL PRISON, WHERE SEVERAL INMATES THREATENED TO RAPE DOCTOR CORDOVA IF HE WERE PLACED AMONG THEM. SALOMONS SUGGESTED THAT THEY BE RETURNED TO GOROMONZI DETENTION CENTER, BUT THE OFFICER IN CHARGE WOULD NOT HAVE THEM BACK. THE TWO REMAIN IN A REMAND FACILITY WITHOUT RUNNING WATER; THE DOCTORS HAVE NOT SHOWERED FOR FOUR DAYS AND ARE BRUSHING THEIR TEETH WITH BOTTLED WATER BEING BROUGHT BY UNHCR AT THEIR DAILY VISITS. ¶2. (C) THE UNHCR ATTORNEY REPORTED THAT A DECISION HAD CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03349 210941Z BEEN MADE LOCALLY TO REFER THE CASE TO UNHCR HEADQUARTERS IN GENEVA FOR FURTHER HANDLING IF THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT DID NOT MAKE A DECISION TO RELEASE DOCTORS CORDOVA AND PENA BY COB JUNE 21. UNHCR ATTORNEY SALOMONS TOLD CONSUL THAT HE WAS SCHEDULED TO DEPART HARARE ON FRIDAY, JUNE 23, LEAVING ONLY REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE BAJULAIYE TO HANDLE THE CASE. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >