DURDYKULIYEV - GRATEFUL AND EMBOLDENED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000410 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY) SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR TX SUBJECT: DURDYKULIYEV - GRATEFUL AND EMBOLDENED REF: ASHGABAT 382 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) FORMER PSYCHIATRIC PATIENT GURBANDURDY DURDYKULIYEV MET WITH POL OFF IN HIS BALKANABAT CITY HOME ON APRIL 17 AFTER SPENDING THREE HOURS IN THE LOCAL POLICE STATION AND HAKIMLIK. DURDYKULIEV WAS ADMONISHED BY LOCAL POLICE, MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES, AND LOCAL ELDERS NOT TO CONTINUE HIS CAMPAIGN PRESSING FOR DEMOCRACY AND EXPOSING PRESIDENT NIYAZOV'S NEGLIGENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES. DURDYKULIEV AND HIS WIFE, WHO MET IRREGULARLY WITH EMB OFFS DURING DURDYKULIEV'S MORE THAN TWO-YEAR INCARCERATION, EXPRESSED SINCERE GRATITUDE TO THE 54 SIGNATORIES TO THE CONGRESSIONAL LETTER SENT TO PRESIDENT NIYAZOV, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND EMBASSY PERSONNEL FOR SUPPORT. DURDYKULIYEV WAS IN REASONABLY GOOD PHYSICAL HEALTH. END SUMMARY. INCARCERATION -------------- ¶2. (SBU) THE ELDERLY DURDYKULIYEV WELCOMED POL OFF TO HIS HOME WITH WARM WORDS OF GRATITUDE AFTER COMPLETING HIS EVENING PRAYERS. HE SPOKE OF HIS MORE THAN TWO YEARS AS A SANE PATIENT IN A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL WITH PRIDE FOR HIS ENDURANCE AND HIS RESOLVE NOT TO COMPROMISE HIS PRINCIPLES. HE SAID THAT HE WAS TREATED BOTH AS A PATIENT AND A POLITICAL PRISONER, AND HE WAS OFTEN "VISITED" BY SECURITY OFFICERS WHO ATTEMPTED TO ALTER HIS POLITICAL OPINIONS THROUGH INTERROGATION. HE DID NOT SPEAK ABOUT ANY PHYSICAL ABUSE BEYOND THE LACK OF INADEQUATE MEDICAL CARE FOR HIS CHRONIC ON-GOING CONDITIONS AND CONFINEMENT IN A SOLITARY CELL DURING HIS FIRST TWO MONTHS. HE SAID THAT HE WAS FED ONLY COLD FOOD DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS AND THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF HIS INTERNMENT. HE FEARED FOR HIS LIFE AND WAS INSECURE TRYING TO SLEEP MORE THAN A COUPLE OF HOURS AT A TIME BECAUSE OF THE OTHER MENTAL PATIENTS; HE PRESUMED HIS DEATH AT THE HANDS OF A PATIENT WOULD BENEFIT THE GOTX. HE CONFIRMED THAT HE WAS THE ONLY POLITICAL PRISONER HELD IN THIS PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL. RESOLVE -------------- ¶3. (SBU) DESPITE SACRIFICING TWO YEARS OF HIS LIFE, DURDYKULIYEV SAID THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM AND WILL EXPOSE PRESIDENT NIYAZOV'S CRIMES. HE HAS ALREADY SPOKEN TO "UNDERCOVER" LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS CONDUCTING INTERMITTENT SURVEILLANCE OUTSIDE HIS HOME, AND ASKED THEM WHY THEY DID THEIR WORK SO POORLY AND WHAT THEY INTENDED TO ACCOMPLISH. HE SAID THAT ON APRIL 17, LOCAL POLICE CAME TO HIS HOUSE AND ORDERED HIM TO THE POLICE STATION IMMEDIATELY. ALTHOUGH HE WAS NOT PHYSICALLY HARMED, HE WAS ONLY RELEASED WHEN HIS BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL DROPPED BECAUSE HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO EAT BEFORE LEAVING HIS HOME. AT THE STATION HE WAS TOLD TO END HIS POLITICAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE POLITICAL STATUS QUO, BUT NEITHER HE NOR HIS FAMILY WERE DIRECTLY THREATENED. HE WAS TOLD THAT HE SHOULD NOT SPEAK TO RFE/RL AND HE SHOULD NOT MEET WITH INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES. IN ADDITION TO POL OFF'S VISIT, HE WELCOMED A PLANNED MAY 12 VISIT FROM THE U.K. EMBASSY. ¶4. (SBU) NEITHER DURDYKULIYEV NOR HIS WIFE ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED. HIS DISABILITY PENSION WAS CUT DURING HIS INCARCERATION, AND HE WILL ATTEMPT TO HAVE IT REINSTATED ALONG WITH INITIATING HIS REGULAR PENSION. HE SAID THAT HE WILL ATTEMPT THE PROCESS HIMSELF, BUT WILL ASK FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY IF HE CANNOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. REQUESTS -------------- ¶5. (SBU) DURDYKULIYEV ASKED THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CHECK ON HIM AND HIS FAMILY PERIODICALLY AND ALSO PASS HIS WRITINGS AND RECORDED WORDS TO PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE OF TURKMENISTAN AND TO INTERNATIONAL LEGAL AND JUDICIAL BODIES. HE SAID HE WANTS TO SUE NIYAZOV AND HIS REGIME FOR INCARCERATING HIM WITHOUT A CHARGE OR DUE ASHGABAT 00000410 002 OF 002 PROCESS, DETERIORATING HIS HEALTH, AND TRYING TO FORCEFULLY ALTER HIS MIND. HE SAID THAT HE DOES NOT FEAR THE GOTX BECAUSE THEY CANNOT TAKE HIS FAITH FROM HIM, ALL THAT MATTERS TO HIM IN THE END. COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) DURDYKULIYEV WAS LUCID AND SPOKE AT GREAT LENGTH. HE IS PROUD OF WHAT HE ACHIEVED THROUGH ENDURANCE. HE SAID THAT MANY PEOPLE ATTENDED THE FAMILY'S SACRIFICIAL MEAL WHEN HE RETURNED AND THAT MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER MET HIM, COME TO GREET HIM, SO HE MUST CONTINUE TO SET THE EXAMPLE FOR OTHER PEOPLE. HE SAID THAT EVEN MEDICAL PERSONNEL AT THE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL WERE AMAZED TO SEE HIS RESOLVE UNDER SUCH HARSH CIRCUMSTANCES. HE IS ENCOURAGED. POST WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR HIS SITUATION AND REPORT AS APPROPRIATE. END COMMENT. JACOBSON