Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TASHKENT852
2006-05-01 02:26:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tashkent
how-toVZCZCXRO9274 PP RUEHDBU DE RUEHNT #0852 1210226 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 010226Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5662 INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY 7855 RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 1941 RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 2468 RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2369 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1749
UNCLAS TASHKENT 000852
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM UZ
SUBJECT: GOU CLOSES ABA/CEELI
REF: Tashkent 810
Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
UNCLAS TASHKENT 000852
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM UZ
SUBJECT: GOU CLOSES ABA/CEELI
REF: Tashkent 810
Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) On April 27, a Tashkent City Civil Court judge
ordered the American Bar Association's Central European and
Eurasia Law Initiative (ABA/CEELI) to liquidate. In
requesting ABA/CEELI's liquidation, the Ministry of Justice
(MOJ) alleged that the organization acted outside its
mandate and charter by establishing defense lawyer bar
associations and providing legal assistance to unregistered
legal clinics, used an unregistered logo, and refused to
report to the MOJ about its property and resources as
required by Uzbek law. (Comment: Even if true, the
allegations are neither illegal nor a basis for liquidation
under Uzbek law. According to ABA/CEELI's Cooperative
Agreement with USAID, property purchased with USG funding
remains the property of the USG. Therefore, ABA/CEELI has
no property to report to MOJ. End comment.) Following less
than 20 minutes of deliberation, the judge ruled to
liquidate ABA/CEELI.
2. (SBU) Comment: The speed with which the GOU ordered
ABA/CEELI closed is remarkable, particularly in contrast to
previous NGO closures, which have dragged on for months.
ABA/CEELI was given less than 48 hours between being served
notice to appear in court and being ordered to liquidate.
In this case, the GOU skipped the intermediate steps of
suspension and carrying out a criminal investigation and
moved straight to liquidation, suggesting a possible new
model for the future actions against other organizations.
PURNELL
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM UZ
SUBJECT: GOU CLOSES ABA/CEELI
REF: Tashkent 810
Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) On April 27, a Tashkent City Civil Court judge
ordered the American Bar Association's Central European and
Eurasia Law Initiative (ABA/CEELI) to liquidate. In
requesting ABA/CEELI's liquidation, the Ministry of Justice
(MOJ) alleged that the organization acted outside its
mandate and charter by establishing defense lawyer bar
associations and providing legal assistance to unregistered
legal clinics, used an unregistered logo, and refused to
report to the MOJ about its property and resources as
required by Uzbek law. (Comment: Even if true, the
allegations are neither illegal nor a basis for liquidation
under Uzbek law. According to ABA/CEELI's Cooperative
Agreement with USAID, property purchased with USG funding
remains the property of the USG. Therefore, ABA/CEELI has
no property to report to MOJ. End comment.) Following less
than 20 minutes of deliberation, the judge ruled to
liquidate ABA/CEELI.
2. (SBU) Comment: The speed with which the GOU ordered
ABA/CEELI closed is remarkable, particularly in contrast to
previous NGO closures, which have dragged on for months.
ABA/CEELI was given less than 48 hours between being served
notice to appear in court and being ordered to liquidate.
In this case, the GOU skipped the intermediate steps of
suspension and carrying out a criminal investigation and
moved straight to liquidation, suggesting a possible new
model for the future actions against other organizations.
PURNELL