VISIT TO PRISONER NABIL SOLIMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 001330

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DRL, CA/OCS, AND NEA/ELA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2017
TAGS: PHUM PTER CASC KISL EG
SUBJECT: VISIT TO PRISONER NABIL SOLIMAN

REF: A. 02 CAIRO 8561


B. 02 CAIRO 6152

C. 03 CAIRO 2300

Classified By: Minister-Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs
William R. Stewart, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Poloff conducted a human rights monitoring visit to
prisoner Nabil Soliman on May 6. Returned by the U.S. to
Egypt in June 2002, Soliman was subsequently convicted of
membership in the Islamic Jihad, and sentenced to five years
in prison. He is now being held at the Torah Liman Prison, a
sub-unit of a larger prison complex at Torah, 15 miles south
of central Cairo. The prison warden and his assistant
attended poloff's 45-minute meeting with Soliman, and
confirmed that Soliman's five-year sentence is due to end on
June 12.


2. (C) In response to poloff's queries, Soliman stated that,
"I am treated well here ... No one is torturing or
mistreating me." Soliman did complain, however, that when
moved three months ago to Torah Liman Prison (he was
previously incarcerated at Istiqbal Prison),all of his
possessions (blanket, radio, books) were stolen from him. He
also noted that while he is not personally being tortured, he
has witnessed other prisoners being tortured; "they are
beating people here, hanging prisoners up and hitting them,
making prisoners stand outside naked in cold temperatures,
and tying their feet down and whipping them."


3. (C) Soliman noted that he is due to be released on June
12, and asked poloff to follow up with the appropriate
Egyptian authorities to ensure that he is indeed freed, which
poloff assured him she would do. Following his anticipated
release, Soliman hopes to get a job ("I have been studying
for a law degree for the past several years, and will take my
final exams in July"),and to file a lawsuit against the USG
for "illegally extraditing me to Egypt, when there is no
extradition treaty between the two countries, and for the
torture I initially suffered upon my return to Egypt."
(Note: Per reftels, Soliman alleged that upon his return to
Egypt in 2002, while being interrogated by Egyptian
intelligence, he was tortured with an electric shock device
and was beaten on the soles of his feet. End note). Soliman
asked for USG assistance, both in terms of initial financial
support upon his release, and legal advice about how best to
pursue his planned case against the USG. Poloff advised him
that the USG would not be able to provide monetary or legal
assistance.

RICCIARDONE