Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TASHKENT532
2006-03-23 02:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:
INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS HANGING ON BY A THREAD
how-toVZCZCXRO8706 PP RUEHDBU DE RUEHNT #0532 0820223 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 230223Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5378 INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY PRIORITY 7716 RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 1821 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1031 RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 2344 RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY 2240 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1343 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 6583 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0195 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1704
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000532
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2016
TAGS: PHUM ELAB PGOV PREL SMIG SOCI GM KDEM UZ
SUBJECT: INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS HANGING ON BY A THREAD
REF: TASHKENT 512
Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000532
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2016
TAGS: PHUM ELAB PGOV PREL SMIG SOCI GM KDEM UZ
SUBJECT: INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS HANGING ON BY A THREAD
REF: TASHKENT 512
Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D).
1. (C)Summary: Deutsche Welle stringer Obid Shabanov told
Poloff that the MFA revoked his accreditation after he wrote
a report about Uzbek migrant laborers freezing to death on a
bus headed to Russia. Only one Deutsche Welle stringer is
still accredited. Several international wire agency
correspondents could also be negatively affected by a recent
Cabinet of Ministers media resolution. The Associated Press
correspondent is without accreditation, and the Reuters and
Agence France Press correspondents, accreditations expire
this summer. End summary.
2. (C) Deutsche Welle Bukhara-based stringer Obid Shabanov,
whose accreditation was revoked by the MFA on March 15
(reftel),told Poloff that he had angered the GOU with a
report on the death of Uzbek migrant laborers, which the MFA
claims the GOU investigated and found to be false. (Note:
Shabanov was the recipient of a now completed U.S. Embassy
Democracy Commission grant for a journalist discussion club
in Bukhara. End note.) Shabanov,s report stated that 30
migrant laborers from Bukhara froze to death in Ustyurt in
the Karakalpak desert after their bus broke down on its way
to Russia. Shabanov added that the story is well-known in
Bukhara. (Note: The GOU is reluctant to acknowledge the
scale of labor trafficking to Russia and Kazakhstan, and has
failed to regularize migration flows and improve conditions
for workers. End note.)
3. (C) Shabanov told poloff that only one Deutsche Welle
stringer, Yuri Chernogayev, is still accredited. At the
March 15 MFA meeting, Chernogayev was warned not to cooperate
with stringers lacking accreditation. (Note: Since the
release of the Cabinet of Ministers resolution (reftel),
which bars stringers from working without accreditation,
Deutsche Welle stringers Natalia Bushueva, Solih Yahyoyev,
and Sayora Ruzutkova have stopped working. End note.)
4. (C) Several correspondents for international wire agencies
told Emboffs that the resolution could threaten their ability
to work. Mansur Mirovalev of the Associated Press is not
accredited. Reuters correspondent Shamil Baygin,s
accreditation will expire in July, and Agence France Presse
correspondent Muhammed Sharif Mamatkulov,s, in June. (Note:
French DCM Christophe Le Rigoleur told Poloff that the
resolution concerns the French Embassy, and that the French
mission is in close contact with AFP,s regional Almaty
office regarding Mamatkulov,s status. End note.)
5. (C) Comment: The Uzbeks have made no secret of their
dissatisfaction with criticism in the international press.
It is likely that someone in the Karimov regime decided that
eliminating independent media outlets and denying
accreditation would help solve the problem. In reality, the
new decree will likely have the exact opposite effect,
intensifying the critical articles rather than silencing
them. The pressures on Deutsche Welle are deeply troubling,
especially following on the heels of the closures of BBC, the
Institute for War and Peace Reporting, and Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty offices. There are few sources left to
inform the world about developments in Uzbekistan.
PURNELL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2016
TAGS: PHUM ELAB PGOV PREL SMIG SOCI GM KDEM UZ
SUBJECT: INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS HANGING ON BY A THREAD
REF: TASHKENT 512
Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D).
1. (C)Summary: Deutsche Welle stringer Obid Shabanov told
Poloff that the MFA revoked his accreditation after he wrote
a report about Uzbek migrant laborers freezing to death on a
bus headed to Russia. Only one Deutsche Welle stringer is
still accredited. Several international wire agency
correspondents could also be negatively affected by a recent
Cabinet of Ministers media resolution. The Associated Press
correspondent is without accreditation, and the Reuters and
Agence France Press correspondents, accreditations expire
this summer. End summary.
2. (C) Deutsche Welle Bukhara-based stringer Obid Shabanov,
whose accreditation was revoked by the MFA on March 15
(reftel),told Poloff that he had angered the GOU with a
report on the death of Uzbek migrant laborers, which the MFA
claims the GOU investigated and found to be false. (Note:
Shabanov was the recipient of a now completed U.S. Embassy
Democracy Commission grant for a journalist discussion club
in Bukhara. End note.) Shabanov,s report stated that 30
migrant laborers from Bukhara froze to death in Ustyurt in
the Karakalpak desert after their bus broke down on its way
to Russia. Shabanov added that the story is well-known in
Bukhara. (Note: The GOU is reluctant to acknowledge the
scale of labor trafficking to Russia and Kazakhstan, and has
failed to regularize migration flows and improve conditions
for workers. End note.)
3. (C) Shabanov told poloff that only one Deutsche Welle
stringer, Yuri Chernogayev, is still accredited. At the
March 15 MFA meeting, Chernogayev was warned not to cooperate
with stringers lacking accreditation. (Note: Since the
release of the Cabinet of Ministers resolution (reftel),
which bars stringers from working without accreditation,
Deutsche Welle stringers Natalia Bushueva, Solih Yahyoyev,
and Sayora Ruzutkova have stopped working. End note.)
4. (C) Several correspondents for international wire agencies
told Emboffs that the resolution could threaten their ability
to work. Mansur Mirovalev of the Associated Press is not
accredited. Reuters correspondent Shamil Baygin,s
accreditation will expire in July, and Agence France Presse
correspondent Muhammed Sharif Mamatkulov,s, in June. (Note:
French DCM Christophe Le Rigoleur told Poloff that the
resolution concerns the French Embassy, and that the French
mission is in close contact with AFP,s regional Almaty
office regarding Mamatkulov,s status. End note.)
5. (C) Comment: The Uzbeks have made no secret of their
dissatisfaction with criticism in the international press.
It is likely that someone in the Karimov regime decided that
eliminating independent media outlets and denying
accreditation would help solve the problem. In reality, the
new decree will likely have the exact opposite effect,
intensifying the critical articles rather than silencing
them. The pressures on Deutsche Welle are deeply troubling,
especially following on the heels of the closures of BBC, the
Institute for War and Peace Reporting, and Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty offices. There are few sources left to
inform the world about developments in Uzbekistan.
PURNELL