FOLLOW-UP ON VISIT TO PRISONER NABIL SOLIMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006878 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2016 TAGS: PHUM PTER CASC KISL EG SUBJECT: FOLLOW-UP ON VISIT TO PRISONER NABIL SOLIMAN REF: CAIRO 6769 Classified By: DCM Stuart Jones, for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Pursuant to reftel, poloff approached the Torah Prison warden on November 5 regarding reinstating prisoner Nabil Soliman's family visitation rights (Note: Due to the low-quality of meals in Egyptian jails, many prisoners get most of their food from their families during regular visits; Soliman had been doing that prior to the suspension of his family visitation rights. Per reftel, now that he cannot obtain food from his relatives, he is on a hunger-strike. End note). The warden emphasized that Soliman had violated prison rules by smuggling a cellphone into the facility, and was being punished in accordance with the appropriate regulations. In response to poloff's queries as to when the punishment period will end and Soliman's family be permitted to visit again, the warden said that the decision to reinstate a prisoner's visitation rights is based upon the prisoner's history of violations and current behavior, and thus he could not make any predictions as to the duration of Soliman's punishment. RICCIARDONE