UZBEKISTAN: SANJAR UMAROV'S HEALTH CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 001025 SIPDIS DRL FOR RACHEL WALDSTEIN AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PASS TO AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PASS TO AMEMBASSY PODGORICA AMEMBASSY ATHENS PASS TO AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/06/19 TAGS: PHUM PREL UZ SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: SANJAR UMAROV'S HEALTH CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE IN PRISON CLASSIFIED BY: Timothy P. Buckley, Second Secretary, Department of State, Political and Economic Section; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (C) Summary: On June 17, emboffs met with members of the Sunshine Coalition, who reported that their imprisoned leader, Sanjar Umarov, was suffering severe mental illness in prison. On June 18, the Ambassador met with Umarov's son Arslan, who just finished a four-day visit in the prison with his father and confirmed that his mental and physical health are deteriorating. The Ambassador is prepared once again to intervene with the Government of Uzbekistan to urge more extensive medical care and Umarov's release on humanitarian grounds. End summary. Meeting with Sunshine Coalition -------------- ¶2. (C) On June 17, pol/econ chief and poloffs met with two members of the Sunshine Coalition, sisters Nigora and Nodira Khidoyatova. The sisters reiterated their chief human rights complaint - the continued imprisonment of their group's leader, Umarov, despite his deteriorating health. They were aware of the findings of the medical commission that examined Umarov in response to the Ambassador's letter to President Karimov in October 2008, but reject that he suffers from depression. "This is a much deeper, more serious sickness," according to Nodira, who noted they stay in close touch with relatives. Meeting with Arslan Umarov -------------- ¶3. (SBU) On June 18, Ambassador Norland met with Umarov's son Arslan, a law student in Michigan who recently came from the U.S. to visit his father in prison during the summer recess. Arslan reported that his father has been moved to a prison near Gazalkent (approximately 50 kilometers northeast of Tashkent),and that the conditions at this new prison are far better than the last, particularly regarding improved air and water quality. Despite this positive development, however, he said his father's condition has worsened substantially since his previous visit last year. ¶4. (SBU) Arslan observed that his father is even thinner than at previous visits, noting that he could feel his father's ribs when he tried to embrace him. He also stated that his father smelled strongly of urine when he arrived, and indeed urinated on himself several times during the four-day visit. Although he is able to walk, he needs physical prodding and assistance to go to the lavatory, and also needs assistance in the shower. When helping his father to undress, Arslan observed a rash across his arms, torso, and legs. Although Arslan brought grocery bags of food with him, his father ate very little. The senior Umarov also remains unresponsive to attempts to speak to him, a condition that has continued since roughly October 2007. There are presently three other inmates who share his cell, and Arslan said they are expected to help out with his basic care and hygiene. Arslan noted that he will meet with the prison administrator on June 20 to further discuss his father's condition. Comment: -------------- ¶5. (C) The Government of Uzbekistan responded swiftly to the TASHKENT 00001025 002 OF 002 Ambassador's October 2008 letter, which probably contributed to the decision to move Sanjar Umarov to a better prison and grant family members multiple-day visits on a quarterly basis. However, Arslan's credible account of his recent visit indicates that Sanjar Umarov is no longer capable of caring for himself in a general prison environment. The Ambassador is prepared to intervene again, and we will request that Sanjar Umarov be released on humanitarian grounds to his family. We will also try to facilitate a visit by representatives of the ICRC, which has thus far been unable to visit Umarov in prison. NORLAND