MYRADOVA SISTERS WANT OPPOSITION TO BACK OFF

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001293 SIPDIS SIPDIS SCA/CEN(PERRY) E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL TX SUBJECT: MYRADOVA SISTERS WANT OPPOSITION TO BACK OFF REF: ASHGABAT 1135 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jennifer L. Brush for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Maral and Sona Myradova, the daughters of deceased journalist Ogulsapar Myradova, told pol off during an unplanned meeting at the embassy December 21 that they are increasingly pressured by their uncle, Helsinki Foundation founder Annadurdy Hajyev who lives in exile in Sofia, Bulgaria, to release documents and pictures related to their mother's death in prison. The sisters said that they do not want any photographs of their mother's corpse released while they are still living in Ashgabat. End Summary. Hajyev's Calls Scare Myradovas -------------- ¶2. (C) The Myradova sisters are fearful of their uncle's numerous phone calls to them, pressing for the public release of their mother's autopsy report and photographs of their mother's corpse. The sisters said that Hajyev is a known opposition member and his requests heighten their fears of increased law enforcement intervention in their lives. (Note: The Myradovas are confident their phone calls are monitored by the Ministry of National Security. End Note.) Both women wanted pol off to give them advice, concrete answers to their questions regarding what they "should" do, because they said they only hear from their uncle, who does not reside in country. They were aware of their uncle's Washington Post opinion piece, and said explicitly that they did not want the embassy's photographs of their mother's body released. Continue to Keep Distance -------------- ¶3. (C) After some discussion about sharing one of their phone numbers with the embassy, the Myradova sisters ultimately decided to continue the "don't call us, we will call you" relationship, for personal security reasons. They said they do not want foreign diplomats on their doorstep and do not want security officers to know that foreign missions have their telephone numbers. Comment -------------- ¶4. (C) Post will continue to respect the Myradova sisters' decisions regarding contact and information dissemination on their mother's death. Post welcomes the Department's assistance in conveying the sisters' concern to Hajyev in an appropriate forum, as requested by the sisters. Post does not anticipate any abrupt improvements in Turkmenistan's human rights situation with the December 21 death of former President Niyazov, and the Myradova sisters are choosing to maintain a low profile. End Comment. BRUSH