AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH WIFE OF AYMAN NOUR

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000153 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2017 TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM EG SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH WIFE OF AYMAN NOUR REF: A. 06 CAIRO 6171 ¶B. CAIRO 99 CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR FRANCIS J. RICCIARDONE, FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) IN A CAREFULLY CHOREOGRAPHED JANUARY 17 MEETING AT THE DCM'S RESIDENCE, GAMEELA ISMAIL TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT THE HEALTH OF HER HUSBAND, AYMAN NOUR, CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE, AND THAT PRISON OFFICIALS HAVE NOT APPROVED HIS REQUEST TO SEE NON-PRISON PHYSICIANS. ACCORDING TO ISMAIL, ONLY PRISON MEDICAL PERSONNEL ARE ALLOWED TO EXAMINE AND TREAT NOUR. SHE SAYS SHE SUBMITTED A REQUEST IN SEPTEMBER 2006 FOR DIFFERENT DOCTORS TO VISIT NOUR; NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN PERMITTED TO SEE HIM. ISMAIL NOTED THAT NOURS LAWYER HAD APPLIED IN SEPTEMBER 2006 FOR NOUR TO BE RELEASED ON MEDICAL GROUNDS. ¶2. (C) NOUR HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY A GOVERNMENTAL FORENSIC MEDICINE COMMITTEE (AS REPORTED REF A); THE COMMITTEE HAS SINCE SCHEDULED A SERIES OF EXAMINATIONS AND MEDICAL TESTS (THE FIRST OF WHICH WAS THE CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION NOUR UNDERWENT ON DECEMBER 19, REPORTED REF B). ISMAIL ANTICIPATES THAT IN 1-2 MONTHS TIME, THE COMMITTEE WILL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO PETITION PUBLIC PROSECUTOR ABDEL MEGUID MAHMOUD FOR NOUR TO BE PAROLED ON HEALTH GROUNDS. ISMAIL ASSERTED THAT NOUR WAS RECENTLY CRITICIZED BY PRISON OFFICIALS FOR "COMPLAINING TOO MUCH," AND THREATENED WITH BEING MOVED TO A PRISON OUTSIDE OF CAIRO, WHERE LIVING CONDITIONS ARE EVEN WORSE THAN TORAH PRISON (WHERE HE IS CURRENTLY INCARCERATED) AND WHERE IT WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR FAMILY MEMBERS AND LAWYERS TO VISIT. ¶3. (C) THE AMBASSADOR REITERATED USG CONCERN FOR NOUR'S CONDITION AND OUTLINED U.S. OFFICIAL DEMARCHES URGING THE GOE TO RELEASE HIM ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS. ISMAIL EXPRESSED HER APPRECIATION FOR THE SECRETARY'S AND AMBASSADOR'S ATTENTION TO NOUR'S CASE. SHE MENTIONED THAT NOUR REMEMBERS THE SECRETARY TELLING HIM, "DON'T WORRY," WHEN THEY MET BRIEFLY SIPDIS IN 2005. WHEN QUERIED BY THE AMBASSADOR AS TO WHAT SHE WANTED THE USG TO DO TO ASSIST NOUR, ISMAIL SAID THAT, "THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS TO KEEP ASKING ABOUT HIS HEALTH, AND PUSHING FOR HIS RELEASE." SHE STRESSED THAT "CUTTING U.S. AID TO EGYPT WON'T HELP NOUR," AND RATHER THAT U.S. ASSISTANCE HELPS AVERAGE EGYPTIANS "IMMENSELY." ISMAIL MADE A POINT OF NOTING, "IT IS THE EGYPTIAN REGIME WHICH IS MAKING THE EGYPTIAN PEOPLE HATE THE U.S." RICCIARDONE