Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TASHKENT887
2006-05-04 09:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:  

NGO'S SAMARKAND OFFICE FORCED TO CLOSE DUE TO

Tags:  KIRF PGOV PHUM UZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3753
PP RUEHDBU
DE RUEHNT #0887 1240930
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 040930Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5693
INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY 7874
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 1953
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 2482
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2383
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000887 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2016
TAGS: KIRF PGOV PHUM UZ
SUBJECT: NGO'S SAMARKAND OFFICE FORCED TO CLOSE DUE TO
ADMINISTRATIVE ILLEGALITIES

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 000887

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2016
TAGS: KIRF PGOV PHUM UZ
SUBJECT: NGO'S SAMARKAND OFFICE FORCED TO CLOSE DUE TO
ADMINISTRATIVE ILLEGALITIES

Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D).


1. (C) Summary: The local office of the Ministry of Justice
took action against Amcits from the NGO Global Involvement
through Education in Samarkand. Several were detained,
harassed, and forced to sign statements. The organization
paid fines for non-compliance with registration laws and
voluntarily withdrew all of their staff from Samarkand.
However, it denied any involvement in religious activity on
the part of the volunteers, many of whom have been sent back
to the U.S. to avoid further problems. End summary.


2. (C) Three Amcit volunteers with Global Involvement through
Education (GIE),a non-profit organization focused on English
language training, were fined by Uzbek authorities in
mid-April for not properly registering with the Samarkand
branch of the MFA and Office for Visas and Registration
(OVIR). National Security Service (NSS) officers confiscated
the volunteers' passports until fines of approximately $600
were paid and OVIR registration was completed. Additionally,
NSS, Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) and Ministry of
Justice (MOJ) officials raided English club meetings being
held by the volunteers. The authorities interrogated the
students and confiscated various DVDs, videotapes and books
belonging to the Amcits.


3. (C) Concurrently, a fourth Amcit was visited by the GOU at
the GIE Samarkand office. He was questioned about his work
in Samarkand and the authorities scoured the contents of the
office, confiscating various reading materials and computer
discs. The volunteer was forced to sign an unknown document
without translation and given a scrap of paper containing a
bank account number, to which a fine of $400 was to be wired.
The volunteer was told that he was being charged with
teaching religion and that many students had provided the
authorities with statements supporting these claims. He was
released and left Samarkand with the entire contents of the
office and the remaining Amcits. Eventually, four of the
volunteers were repatriated to the U.S.


4. (C) The GIE country director spoke with Conoffs about the
incidents and provided written statements by four of the
Amcits forced out of Samarkand. He told Poloff that GIE was
not a religious organization and did not promote
proselytizing. He claimed that the MOJ offices in Tashkent
and Samarkand provided conflicting guidance on registration.
MOJ Samarkand informed him that the $400 fine was not for
teaching religion, but for continuing to operate out of the
Samarkand office without proper registration. (Note: The
$400 fine has not yet been paid by GIE and they have not
received any further pressure to settle the charges. End
note.)


5. (C) Comment: GIE's experiences with the MOJ and its branch
offices is far from unique as conflicting information, sudden
changes of procedure, and outright confusion are the norm.
This case again demonstrates Uzbek fears of proselytizing as
well as the lack of transparency and due process that NGOs
here face even when making a good faith effort to comply with
the GOU's complex and ever shifting registration
requirements. While it is unclear whether or not the Amcits
were proselytizing, Post is aware that many NGOs do promote
religion even as they provide various forms of assistance.
PURNELL