AYMAN NOUR FILES NEW REQUEST FOR MEDICAL RELEASE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000806 SIPDIS CORRECTED COPY - TEXT SIPDIS NSC FOR WATERS, DRL FOR CASTEEL E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2017 TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM EG SUBJECT: AYMAN NOUR FILES NEW REQUEST FOR MEDICAL RELEASE REF: CAIRO 412 Classified By: Minister-Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs, William R. Stewart, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Based on a government medical report that references the possibility of imprisoned Al Ghad party leader Ayman Nour's "sudden death," Nour is filing a new lawsuit requesting that he be released on medical grounds. Despite noting the risk of "sudden death," and long-term degenerative damage, the government report concludes that Nour's heart condition is "balanced," and that "his general medical condition seems within the limits that allow him to stay in prison." End summary. ¶2. (C) As reported reftel, in mid-February a governmental medical committee charged with evaluating Nour's medical condition reportedly determined that his health is "stable." On March 19, Gameela Ismail (Nour's wife) gave poloff a copy of the 20-page report, which Nour had obtained after filing a lawsuit (according to Ismail, Nour originally was not given a copy of the full report). Ismail stressed the reference in the report to the possibility of Nour's "sudden death" due to his being hyperglycemic. She told poloff that Nour is currently filing a lawsuit with the State Council, based on the report's findings, requesting that he be released on medical grounds, given that he has many ailments and diseases that "pose a threat to his life." The Al Ghad newspaper on March 19 published a front-page article excerpting several paragraphs from the report, and reporting about Nour's new lawsuit. ¶3. (SBU) Unofficial Embassy translation of relevant paragraphs from the report follows: Based on the order of September 23, 2006 by the South Cairo Prosecution, signed by the Public Prosecutor, a committee of three has been formed, headed by Dr. Mostafa Ayman Mahmoud Fouda, Director of the Forensic Medicine Sector. On October 7, 2006, the committee went to Torah Al Mazra'a Prison to conduct a forensic medical checkup of prisoner Ayman Abdel Aziz Mohamed Nour, to determine whether or not he has a disease that poses a threat to his life, or completely incapacitates him from serving out the court ruling against him. Case Review and Opinion: It is the finding of the committee (after reviewing all medical records both from prison and ones that the prisoner and his wife provided, as well as from the clinical examination) that the aforementioned individual suffers from a group of diseases (in addition to his history of heart problems) - high blood pressure, arthritis of the knees, hyperglycemia, lipoid degeneration in the liver tissues, disk problems in the 5th, 6th, and 7th vertebrae - and that: - His case requires medical treatment (which is already taking place and documented in the medical records the committee reviewed in Torah Al Mazra'a Prison Hospital) and a diet of a special nature that is usually followed in such cases. - The heart condition of the aforementioned individual is balanced and there are no clinical symptoms of congestive heart failure. Although there is a slight indication of a lack of blood circulation in his two lower extremities, there is no indication of a any edema or engorgement in the tissues, which is a clear indication that the heart is in a balanced condition. - It is scientifically known that hyperglycemia is a syndrome that has many potential complications affecting blood vessels (especially those of the extremities) in general and the blood circulation of the lower limbs in particular; and that in the long run this can result in tightening blood vessels, and suffering from this syndrome for an extended period of time would lead to what is known as "diabetic foot." In addition, this syndrome might also lead to vision changes, due to the cornea being affected by the fluctuations that result from hyperglycemia (particularly over a long period of time). Additionally, this syndrome affects the kidneys, which leads to their failure. This syndrome also affects the heart by tightening the coronary arteries, which can lead to a blockage in them, causing sudden death without any obvious symptoms, especially in that this syndrome usually affects the neurological system and nerves, which may lessen the feeling of pain or symptoms. This syndrome, therefore, has a long term effect on the general condition of patients who suffer from it for an extended period of time, which can be applicable in the case of the prisoner, and we submit in this regard, available information on the web about hyperglycemia syndrome, and diabetic urine. Additionally, it is noted in documents 1 ) 5, as in the report of the Critical Care unit in Al Qasr Al Aini, that the prisoner has suffered from hyperglycemia syndrome, and diabetic urine for a long time. However, it is not clear yet that the occurrence of those complications represents a danger currently to the prisoner. The committee therefore determines that, based on the above: - The condition of prisoner Ayman Nour (as our diagnosis concluded) is a disease of hyperglycemia syndrome coupled with high blood pressure, that did not result in congestive heart failure, and arthritis of the knees. - The heart condition of the aforementioned individual is balanced and he is not suffering from congestive heart failure, and his general medical condition seems - at the time of examining him - within the limits that allow him to stay in prison, as it does not pose a threat to his life currently, especially if he is placed under medical care, frequenting the specialized prison hospital for follow-up treatment and observation, and is provided the basic necessities of medical care for his condition, which we noted. RICCIARDONE