CONVICTED BLOGGER AND TORTURE ALLEGATIONS

UNCLAS CAIRO 003259 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NSC FOR WATERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO KDEM PHUM PGOV EG SUBJECT: CONVICTED BLOGGER AND TORTURE ALLEGATIONS REF: A. CAIRO 489 ¶B. CAIRO 198 Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. 1.(U) There have been a number of media reports that imprisoned Egyptian blogger Abdel Karim Nabil Soliman is being tortured in the Borg Al Arab prison in Alexandria, where he is serving a four-year sentence following his February 2007 conviction for "inciting hatred of Islam" and "defaming the President of the Republic." (reftels). ¶2. (U) In a November 12 press release, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information reported that it, together with the Hisham Mubarak Centre for Law, had sent a letter to the Prosecutor General (Egypt's Attorney General equivalent), alleging that Abdel Karim had been tortured "on the order and under the supervision of an officer in Borg Al Arab prison" and asking that the alleged torture be investigated. On November 13, the blog "Sand Monkey" reported that Abdel Karim had been beaten and threatened by other inmates, at the direction of prison officials. Sand Monkey also reported that Abdel Karim was placed in a disciplinary cell in shackles, despite injuries received in the alleged beatings. The Cairo newspaper "Nahdet Misr" also reported on some of the allegations. ¶3. (SBU) After learning of the reports, we contacted Abdel Karim's lawyer. He said the allegations of torture were overstated. The lawyer reported, however, that Abdel Karim is being segregated from other prisoners, allegedly for his protection. The lawyer added that the segregation is unnecessary and a form of harassment. RICCIARDONE