AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH WIFE OF AYMAN NOUR

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000153

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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

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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