RFE/RL REPORTERS' DETENTION IN TURKMENISTAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000272

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY)

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR TX
SUBJECT: RFE/RL REPORTERS' DETENTION IN TURKMENISTAN

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (SBU) Two RFE/RL Turkmen Service stringers were
detained in Mary City on March 7. Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MFA) Americas Desk Chief Serdar Bashimov
responded relatively quickly to the embassy's March 10
dipnote request for details on the arrests, calling the
DCM to a Monday morning meeting on March 13. Bashimov
said the stringers were arrested for "acts of public
contempt" during a meeting including district-level
elders. Reports from other local sources contradict the
official story. End Summary.

MFA PROVIDES RESPONSE TO POST'S REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
-------------- --------------


2. (SBU) Post sent a diplomatic note to the MFA on
March 10 requesting information on the March 7
detentions of RFE/RL Turkmen Service stringers
Meretmuhammet Hommadov and Jumadurdy Owezov in
Wekilbazar Etrap (district) of Mary Welayat (province).
Americas Desk Chief Serdar Bashimov called in DCM on
March 13 to provide a response. Bashimov said that on
March 7, the two reporters insulted elders during a
socio-economic etrap meeting, violating Administrative
Code Section 168, "Minor Hooliganism." According to
Section 168 Minor Hooliganism is defined as "uncensored
cursing in public places and humiliation and harassment
of private citizens, and other similar actions violating
public order and the public peace." According to the
code, the punishment can be a fine of 20 to 100 percent
of the minimum monthly salary or one to two months of
community service or both. In exceptional cases the
code provides for up to 15 days of administrative
detention. Bashimov said that the two had insulted
members of the elder council (ak sakallar or white
beards),including telling WWII veterans that the blood
they had shed in defense of the homeland against Fascism
was "meaningless" and that they had "one foot in the
grave already and should get out of the way."

TWO ARRESTS IN MARY PROVINCE
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3. (SBU) PolAsst was able to confirm the arrests of
Hommadov and Owezov on March 9 with Hommadov's wife.
She said that a local police officer visited Hommadov on
the morning of March 7 and invited him to go to "a
meeting of elders," but the meeting never took place.
Instead, Hommadov was detained at the local police
station. The police detained Owezov later the same day.
In the evening, Hommadov and Owezov were transferred to
the Mary City administrative center, and kept in the
basement of an unidentified building. The reporters'
wives have attempted to visit their husbands to pass
them food, but police officers have denied their
requests. Two police officers in Wekilbazar and guards
at the Mary city detention facility told Hommadov's wife
that he was arrested "for dealing with foreigners and
betraying his country."

TWO OTHER REPORTERS' PHONES CUT OFF
--------------


4. (SBU) RFE/RL Turkmen Service staff correspondent
Halmyrat Gylychdurdyev's cell phone account was cut on
February 18 during a conference call to Prague. The
topic of the discussion was the pension cuts in
Turkmenistan. Mobile service provider BCTI told
Gylychdurdyev that "state security" was responsible for
the cut. Gylychdurdyev then obtained a different cell
phone account, which was also cut in early March.
Gylychdurdyev's land line has been disconnected since
October 2005 after his report on domestic flour
shortages.


5. (SBU) RFE stringer in the Balkan Welayat town of
Gumdag, Shamyrat Akoyliyev, "is safe and at home,"
according to his relatives. They also confirmed to
PolAsst that Akoyliyev's phone line had been turned off,
preventing RFE/RL headquarters from contacting Akoyliyev

ASHGABAT 00000272 002 OF 002


since February 28. They were uncomfortable elaborating
further by phone on his experiences with the
authorities. The Bulgaria-based Turkmenistan Helsinki
Foundation for Human Rights reported that Akoyliyev was
summoned to the Balkan Welayat branch of the Ministry of
National Security (MNB) in late February, where he was
warned of the "unacceptability" of his affiliation with
RFE/RL. The authorities later cut Akoyliyev's telephone
line and the MNB began 24-hour surveillance of his home.

COMMENT
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6. (SBU) The MFA's claims of "hooliganism" against
Hommadov and Owezov sound suspicious, especially when
compared to the more plausible explanation that they
were hassled for their association with foreigners.
Nevertheless, we were surprised that the MFA provided a
quick response to our request for information and we
hope this is a precedent that will be repeated in the
future. Post will continue to monitor events on the
ground as they unfold, and will seek to talk with the
reporters once they are released. End Comment.

JACOBSON