GOVERNMENT CRITIC ALLEGES AMCIT AILING IN PRISON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000207 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR CA/OCS/ACS, NEA/ARPI, NEA/RA, DRL/CRA CAIRO FOR CONS: RCO MEHICKEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CASC PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI MU SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT CRITIC ALLEGES AMCIT AILING IN PRISON REF: A. 05 MUSCAT 1203 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. MUSCAT 101 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Recently released former parliamentarian Taybah al-Ma'wali claims that unsanitary prison conditions and poor medical care have caused a serious decline in convicted Amcit Rebecca Thompson's health. Her charges, however, are at variance with what Conoff and other independent visitors have reported in the course of regular meetings with Thompson in prison. End Summary. -------------- Prison Allegations -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In a meeting that she requested with Poloff on February 6, recently released former parliamentarian and social activist Taybah al-Ma'wali (ref A) claimed that the Muscat Central Women's Prison had four large rooms measuring 50 feet x 17 feet to accommodate a female population of 40 to 60 prisoners. Al-Ma'wali said that inmates slept on mats on the floor in conditions not "fit for animals," with cat feces and urine in the eating facility, no roof over the women's toilet, and contaminated water that caused acute diarrhea. ¶3. (SBU) Although prisoners received regular portions of fish, rice, and bread, al-Ma'wali said that only bananas and a few other fresh fruits that could not be distilled into alcohol were permitted. She claimed that on several occasions, inmates were able to pay female prison guards to purchase food, but not bottled water. Al-Ma'wali also alleged that inmates were refused milk and juice, causing her to lose 23 kg. ¶4. (SBU) Al-Ma'wali reported that, she witnessed female guards beating prisoners, and speculated that several female prisoners may have been raped, although she neither witnessed any such acts nor met any woman who claimed to have been raped. Al-Ma'wali said she was attacked by a schizophrenic female prisoner from the general population and reported that as of August 2005, there were at least five women prisoners with infants, ONE of which she believes was hospitalized for dehydration. -------------- Rebecca Thompson -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Al-Ma'wali befriended convicted murderess and Amcit Rebecca Thompson. She believes that poor living conditions in the prison are the root of a "a serious decline" in Ms. Thompson's medical status. Al-Ma'wali said Ms. Thompson suffers from a thyroid problem, abscesses under her arm, severe allergies and blood blisters. Al-Ma'wali also alleged that Ms. Thompson has gone on occasional hunger strikes and suffers from acute diarrhea from drinking water fouled by rust. Between 15-20 inmates are allegedly housed in the same room as Ms. Thompson, including a woman with a baby that Ms. Thompson complained keeps her awake at night. (Note: Conoffs have visited Ms. Thompson regularly since early 2004. When they last saw her on January 22, 2006 (ref B),they confirmed that she is receiving medication for her thyroid problem and allergies. She also received treatment for her intermittent diarrhea, but has made no mention about abscesses, blood blisters, or hunger strikes. Furthermore, Ms. Thompson is regularly visited by a group of western women from a local church who have not reported any of the alleged serious medical problems that al-Ma'wali described. In Conoffs' last visit, they told a prison administrator about Ms. Thompson's complaint about sharing a room with the crying infant and he promised to deal with the issue. The next consular visit will take place later in February. End note.) -------------- Release and Money -------------- ¶6. (SBU) According to al-Ma'wali, Ms. Thompson believes she was pardoned by the Sultan during National Day last November, and thus expects to be released at any time. In addition to her alleged HEALTH problems, Ms. Thompson also reportedly complained to al-Ma'wali that the authorities are preventing her from accessing her funds in a local bank. According al al-Ma'wali, Ms. Thompson has claimed that she signed forms from the police to release her money but until now has received nothing. Ms. Thompson allegedly asks for her money on a weekly basis. (Note: The monies in question apparently are in a joint account Ms. Thompson held with the husband she murdered. During Conoffs' January 22 visit, Ms. Thompson expressed concerns about the delay in resolving the status of this contested bank account, but did not imply that Omani authorities were preventing her accessing the account. End note.) -------------- "I'm not afraid of the Government" -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Al-Ma'wali said she will resume her position as a public relations specialist at the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources in early February. She said the Ministry denied her request for early retirement last August. Al-Ma'wali said that she doesn't regret anything she has done and that she believes she is standing up for human rights. Vowing to continue speaking out, she said, "I understand their game now. I have my passport ready and will fight for the cause from abroad if I have to." -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Al-Ma'wali claims that the reason she sought out Poloff so soon after her release from prison was to convey her impressions of an incarcerated Amcit's HEALTH plus to pass on her account of the prison's conditions. Al-Ma'wali decided to focus on Rebecca Thompson's case and believes that Thompson is innocent. She appears to have overlooked or is unaware of the fact that, as reported above, independent outside visitors, including our own Conoffs, have been in regular contact with Rebecca Thompson and disagree with much of al-Ma'wali's fairly sensationalist descriptions. BALTIMORE