HIGH-PROFILE PRISONERS REPORTEDLY TREATED AT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000501 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2018 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL UZ SUBJECT: HIGH-PROFILE PRISONERS REPORTEDLY TREATED AT SPECIAL HOSPITALS REF: TASHKENT 463 Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On April 26, an independent website reported that the health of recently imprisoned dissident poet Yusuf Jumaev had sharply deteriorated, and that as a result, he had been brought to the Bukhara province hospital's cardiology department for treatment on April 24. On April 28, poloff discussed the article with local human rights activist Surat Ikramov and Human Rights Watch director Igor Vorontsov, who were unable to verify its credibility. In similar news, Vorontsov reported to poloff on April 21 that imprisoned human rights activist Mutabar Tojiboyeva was successfully treated at a Tashkent hospital for uterine cancer. The news that both Tojiboyeva and Jumaev had been treated at hospitals specializing in cancer treatment, rather than at prison medical wards, suggests that the government is sensitive about how their treatment of high-profile prisoners is portrayed abroad and arranged for them to receive medical treatment that is superior to which is normally given to inmates. End summary. ARTICLE REPORTS JUMAEV TREATED AT LOCAL HOSPITAL -------------- --- ¶2. (SBU) On April 26, the independent Uznews.net website reported that imprisoned dissident poet Yusuf Jumaev's health had sharply deteriorated and that he had been brought to the Bukhara province hospital's cardiology department from the Otbozor prison on April 24. Jumaev was sentenced to five years' imprisonment on April 15 for discrediting authorities, resisting arrest, and harming a police officer (reftel). The article reports that local human rights activists in Bukhara and doctors from the regional hospital "expressed their assumptions that Jumaev had been tortured" while in pre-trial custody. IKRAMOV AND HRW UNABLE TO VERIFY ARTICLES'S CREDIBILITY -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) On April 28, poloff discussed the article with local human rights activist Surat Ikramov, who is quoted in the Uznews.net article and was the lone human rights defender who was allowed to monitor Jumaev's trial. Ikramov was aware of the article, but he has been unable to verify that Jumaev's health had deteriorated and that he was at the hospital. He noted that Jumaev did not look healthy at his trial, and speculated that the stress of the trial and Jumaev's pre-trial detention might have aggravated a preexisting heart ailment. Poloff also discussed the article with Human Rights Watch director Igor Vorontsov, who also has been unable to verify its credibility. ¶4. (C) Vorontsov, who has been in contact with Jumaev's relatives who remain in Uzbekistan, noted that they could not have been the source of the article, as they have not had any contact with the dissident poet since April 16. Both Ikramov and Vorontsov speculated that the information regarding Jumaev could have originated with his older son Alisher, who is currently seeking asylum in Kazakhstan, but they were unsure where Alisher could have received his information (Comment: Alisher has been the source of several sensational internet reports regarding his father's arrest and treatment in prison, at least some of which appear to be exaggerated. End comment.) IMPRISONED ACTIVIST TOJIBOYEVA TREATED FOR UTERINE CANCER -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) On April 21, Vorontsov reported to poloff that imprisoned human rights activist Mutabar Tojiboyeva, one of Uzbekistan's most high profile political prisoners, had been treated for uterine cancer. Interestingly, Tojiboyeva was not treated at Sangorod (Uzbekistan's main prison hospital), as is usually the case for inmates, but at a Tashkent hospital that specializes in cancer treatment. Her brother TASHKENT 00000501 002 OF 002 Rasul reported to Vorontsov that her operation went well and that she is currently in good condition, though he blamed the government for the onset of her cancer (Rasul reportedly argued that the cold of her jail cell caused her cancer, not an uncommon belief in Uzbekistan.) Vorontsov noted that government officials might grant Tojiboyeva invalid status following her surgery, which may give them another opportunity to grant her amnesty. COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (C) It is necessary to view the Uznews.net article with some skepticism, as much of what has been reported on the internet about the Yusuf Jumaev case has not been entirely accurate. We believe that it is quite possible that Jumaev was brought to the hospital because of a heart ailment, but it is impossible for us to verify if any deterioration in his health is the result of mistreatment in prison or due to a preexisting condition that might have been aggravated by the stress of Jumaev's trial and pre-trial detention, as suggested by Ikramov. It is significant to note that Jumaev, like Tojiboyeva, was treated at a city hospital instead of a prison medical ward, suggesting that the government is concerned about how Jumaev's treatment in prison is reported abroad. It is possible that the government is now arranging for high-profile prisoners like Jumaev and Tojiboyeva to receive better medical treatment in reaction to the restart of prison visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),which is likely to request access to such prisoners. NORLAND