ICRC CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ON RESUMING PRISON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 002066

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN BRIAN RORAFF

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM UZ
SUBJECT: ICRC CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ON RESUMING PRISON
VISITS

REF: TASHKENT 2018

Classified By: Poloff Tim Buckley for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Summary: Charge d'Affaires met with ICRC Country
Director Raffaello Muller and Head of the Regional Delegation
in Central Asia Yves Giovannoni on December 3 to inquire
about the status of negotiations with the GOU on resuming
prison visits. ICRC remains "cautious" but noted that
contact with the GOU has been more frequent and friendly as a
direct result of the Ambassador raising the issue of ICRC
prison access in his recent meeting with President Karimov
(reftel). ICRC wants to ensure that its activities will be
substantive and it "does not want to play games with the
GOU," but hopes prison visits can begin sooner than expected.
There are also legal issues to be worked out regarding
access to death row inmates whose sentences are being
commuted. ICRC noted its interest in establishing related
projects such as addressing tuberculosis in correctional
systems, but it could take one or two years to put the
resources in place before implementing such a project if the
GOU changes its mindset on acknowledging the existence of
such problems and permits ICRC activity in this area. End
summary.

Red Carpet for the Red Cross
--------------


2. (C) Charge met with ICRC representatives Giovannoni and
Muller on December 3 to inquire about new developments in its
negotiations with the GOU over prison visits. ICRC noted a
definite change in the GOU's stance since the Ambassador
personally raised the prison visit access issue during his
recent meetings with President Karimov and other high-ranking
officials. ICRC has had more recent access and dialogue with
GOU officials, including a December 3 meeting with the Vice
Minister of Internal Affairs responsible for penitentiary
services. The tone of the meetings has recently become very
friendly, and Giovannoni underscored that ICRC is very
appreciative of USG assistance and the Ambassador's personal
interest and involvement on this issue. ICRC is cautiously
optimistic that prison visits could resume sooner than
expected, if the pace of progress continues.

"Where is the Substance?"
--------------


3. (C) Giovannoni stated that there is no need to discuss
modalities with the GOU, as they are clearly spelled out in
the existing agreement that has been in place for many years.
ICRC does not want its staff to spend too much of their time
"fighting over modalities" at the expense of accomplishing
their core mission. Despite the friendly tone and stated
offers to restart prison visits immediately, ICRC wants to
ensure that its activities will be substantive and that its
findings will be seriously reviewed at the highest
appropriate levels within the GOU. For instance, they cited
prison-level problems such as dilapidated infrastructure that
previously recurred at facilities throughout the country but
were never addressed. They pointed out the ICRC mission is
of limited value if no recommended changes are actually
implemented.

Beware of the Spin
--------------


4. (C) Muller noted that the GOU may attempt to use ICRC
prison visits as a public relations tool without intending to
take its recommendations seriously, and he added the ICRC
"does not want to play a game with the GOU." He added that
this is why the ICRC is not immediately restarting prison
visits despite the GOU's recent emphatic statements that
access is "no problem" and visits can restart at any time.

More Lifers
--------------


5. (C) Muller also discussed the legal problem posed by the

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imminent abolition (on January 1, 2008) of the death penalty
in Uzbekistan, which will result in the commutation of
existing death sentences and an increase in the census of
prisoners serving life sentences. ICRC was not previously
given access to death row inmates and new terms of access to
these prisoners will have to be negotiated. The GOU is also
constructing a new prison in a very remote area of
Karakalpakistan Province of western Uzbekistan to accommodate
the increased number of inmates with long or life sentences,
and ICRC is keen on obtaining access to this new facility.

Tuberculosis
--------------


6. (C) In addition to prison visits, ICRC is interested in
expanding projects to address rampant tuberculosis in the
correctional system. However, Muller commented that "first
the GOU needs to stop lying to itself" and denying to its own
officials that the problem exists on a large scale. He also
described the limited regional scope of existing or previous
efforts to halt tuberculosis as ineffective since "TB
recognizes no boundaries." Even if agreements are reached
with the GOU in the near future, Giovannoni noted it would
require an additional one or two years before ICRC can
mobilize resources to implement a sufficiently large-scale
project.

Comment
--------------


7. (C/NF) It was clear from this conversation that an
invitation from the GOU alone is insufficient as a basis to
restart prison visits, and that ICRC will patiently wait
until it is confident its operations will be substantive
enough to meet its organizational mission. The Ambassador's
intervention with President Karimov is clearly having an
impact in terms of improved ICRC access to GOU officials and
the latter's readiness to more substantially engage. We now
must wait to see the results.
HANSON