This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000207 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR CA/OCS/ACS, NEA/ARPI, NEA/RA, DRL/CRA 
CAIRO FOR CONS: RCO MEHICKEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI MU
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT CRITIC ALLEGES AMCIT AILING IN PRISON 
 
REF: A. 05 MUSCAT 1203 AND PREVIOUS 
     ¶B. MUSCAT 101 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) Recently released former parliamentarian Taybah 
al-Ma'wali claims that unsanitary prison conditions and poor 
medical care have caused a serious decline in convicted Amcit 
Rebecca Thompson's health.  Her charges, however, are at 
variance with what Conoff and other independent visitors have 
reported in the course of regular meetings with Thompson in 
prison.  End Summary. 
 
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Prison Allegations 
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¶2. (SBU) In a meeting that she requested with Poloff on 
February 6, recently released former parliamentarian and 
social activist Taybah al-Ma'wali (ref A) claimed that the 
Muscat Central Women's Prison had four large rooms measuring 
50 feet x 17 feet to accommodate a female population of 40 to 
60 prisoners.  Al-Ma'wali said that inmates slept on mats on 
the floor in conditions not "fit for animals," with cat feces 
and urine in the eating facility, no roof over the women's 
toilet, and contaminated water that caused acute diarrhea. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Although prisoners received regular portions of 
fish, rice, and bread, al-Ma'wali said that only bananas and 
a few other fresh fruits that could not be distilled into 
alcohol were permitted.  She claimed that on several 
occasions, inmates were able to pay female prison guards to 
purchase food, but not bottled water.  Al-Ma'wali also 
alleged that inmates were refused milk and juice, causing her 
to lose 23 kg. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Al-Ma'wali reported that, she witnessed female 
guards beating prisoners, and speculated that several female 
prisoners may have been raped, although she neither witnessed 
any such acts nor met any woman who claimed to have been 
raped.  Al-Ma'wali said she was attacked by a schizophrenic 
female prisoner from the general population and reported that 
as of August 2005, there were at least five women prisoners 
with infants, one of which she believes was hospitalized for 
dehydration. 
 
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Rebecca Thompson 
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¶5. (SBU) Al-Ma'wali befriended convicted murderess and Amcit 
Rebecca Thompson.  She believes that poor living conditions 
in the prison are the root of a "a serious decline" in Ms. 
Thompson's medical status.  Al-Ma'wali said Ms. Thompson 
suffers from a thyroid problem, abscesses under her arm, 
severe allergies and blood blisters.  Al-Ma'wali also alleged 
that Ms. Thompson has gone on occasional hunger strikes and 
suffers from acute diarrhea from drinking water fouled by 
rust.  Between 15-20 inmates are allegedly housed in the same 
room as Ms. Thompson, including a woman with a baby that Ms. 
Thompson complained keeps her awake at night.  (Note: Conoffs 
have visited Ms. Thompson regularly since early 2004.  When 
they last saw her on January 22, 2006 (ref B), they confirmed 
that she is receiving medication for her thyroid problem and 
allergies.  She also received treatment for her intermittent 
diarrhea, but has made no mention about abscesses, blood 
blisters, or hunger strikes.  Furthermore, Ms. Thompson is 
regularly visited by a group of western women from a local 
church who have not reported any of the alleged serious 
medical problems that al-Ma'wali described.  In Conoffs' last 
visit, they told a prison administrator about Ms. Thompson's 
complaint about sharing a room with the crying infant and he 
promised to deal with the issue.  The next consular visit 
will take place later in February.  End note.) 
 
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Release and Money 
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¶6. (SBU) According to al-Ma'wali, Ms. Thompson believes she 
was pardoned by the Sultan during National Day last November, 
and thus expects to be released at any time.  In addition to 
her alleged health problems, Ms. Thompson also reportedly 
complained to al-Ma'wali that the authorities are preventing 
her from accessing her funds in a local bank.  According al 
al-Ma'wali, Ms. Thompson has claimed that she signed forms 
from the police to release her money but until now has 
received nothing.  Ms. Thompson allegedly asks for her money 
on a weekly basis. (Note: The monies in question apparently 
are in a joint account Ms. Thompson held with the husband she 
murdered.  During Conoffs' January 22 visit, Ms. Thompson 
expressed concerns about the delay in resolving the status of 
this contested bank account, but did not imply that Omani 
authorities were preventing her accessing the account.  End 
note.) 
 
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"I'm not afraid of the Government" 
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¶7. (SBU)  Al-Ma'wali said she will resume her position as a 
public relations specialist at the Ministry of Regional 
Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources in early 
February.  She said the Ministry denied her request for early 
retirement last August.  Al-Ma'wali said that she doesn't 
regret anything she has done and that she believes she is 
standing up for human rights.  Vowing to continue speaking 
out, she said, "I understand their game now.  I have my 
passport ready and will fight for the cause from abroad if I 
have to." 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶8. (SBU) Al-Ma'wali claims that the reason she sought out 
Poloff so soon after her release from prison was to convey 
her impressions of an incarcerated Amcit's health plus to 
pass on her account of the prison's conditions.  Al-Ma'wali 
decided to focus on Rebecca Thompson's case and believes that 
Thompson is innocent.  She appears to have overlooked or is 
unaware of the fact that, as reported above, independent 
outside visitors, including our own Conoffs, have been in 
regular contact with Rebecca Thompson and disagree with much 
of al-Ma'wali's fairly sensationalist descriptions. 
BALTIMORE