Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BISHKEK1460
2007-12-08 04:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:
KYRGYZ ANNOUNCE ARREST IN SAIPOV INVESTIGATION
how-toVZCZCXRO6924 OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHEK #1460/01 3420414 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 080414Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0447 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2354 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0776 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2760 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 2142 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP PRIORITY RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001460
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GEHRENBECK)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ ANNOUNCE ARREST IN SAIPOV INVESTIGATION
REF: A. BISHKEK 1337
B. BISHKEK 1320
C. TASHKENT 1889
BISHKEK 00001460 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: DCM Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001460
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GEHRENBECK)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ ANNOUNCE ARREST IN SAIPOV INVESTIGATION
REF: A. BISHKEK 1337
B. BISHKEK 1320
C. TASHKENT 1889
BISHKEK 00001460 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: DCM Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: On December 5, the Kyrgyz Ministry of
Internal Affairs (MVD) announced the arrest of the owner of
the gun used in the October 24 murder of prominent journalist
Alisher Saipov (Ref B). The MVD also released the
photographs of two additional suspects in the shooting. The
MVD is reportedly still investigating different theories of
the case, including that the killing was ordered by religious
extremist groups or by the Uzbek secret services. MVD
officials had previously "excluded the possibility" of Uzbek
government involvement (Ref A). In a separate action,
approximately twenty journalists and supporters of Saipov
also held a small rally in front of the Kyrgyz White House on
December 4 to remind officials about the case. END SUMMARY.
CSI OSH: BALLISTICS EVIDENCE
--------------
2. (U) On December 5, Melis Turganbaev, head of the
Department of Organized Crime Control of the MVD, held a news
conference to announce the arrest of a suspect in the October
24 slaying of prominent journalist Alisher Saipov.
Turganbaev stated that the Kyrgyz authorities arrested the
owner of the firearm allegedly used in the murder but stopped
short of releasing his name. According to Turganbaev,
ballistics tests provided evidence connecting the owner's
weapon to the crime scene. Turganbaev also released the
photographs of two additional suspects wanted in connection
with the case and said that witnesses placed the two
individuals at the crime scene for several days prior to the
murder. Turganbaev also stated that the two suspects were
not residents of Kyrgyzstan.
MVD FOCUSES ON FOUR POSSIBLE THEORIES OF THE CASE
-------------- --------------
3. (U) Osh Oblast MVD officials told the press that they were
pursuing four theories of the case: that the murder was
ordered by religious extremist groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir
or the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; that the Uzbek
opposition party Erk organized it to embarrass the Uzbek
government; that organized crime was involved; and that the
Uzbek Security Services did it in response to Saipov's
anti-Karimov political reporting and activity with Uzbek
opposition parties. At his press conference, however,
Turganbaev was quoted as saying that the MVD had "excluded"
the possibility of Uzbek government involvement. Questioned
about the contradiction, Bakyt Seitov, head of the MVD Press
Service, told us that the MVD "could not exclude any
versions, including those linking the Uzbek government" and
that Turganbaev's statement was a "mistake."
RALLY HELD TO REMEMBER SAIPOV
--------------
4. (U) On December 4, a small group of approximately twenty
journalists and supporters gathered outside the Kyrgyz White
House to mark the fortieth day after Saipov's death.
Participants tied black ribbons to the presidential compound
gates and displayed an uprooted sapling to represent the life
of the young journalist cut short. The main organizer, human
rights activist Aziza Abdurasulova, said their goal was to
remind President Bakiyev not to forget about the Saipov case,
especially as he ordered the investigation be conducted under
his personal control. MVD officials dispersed the crowd in
less than an hour.
Comment
--------------
BISHKEK 00001460 002.2 OF 002
5. (C) Progress in the investigation -- at least reported
progress -- has been slow. It is a hopeful sign that the MVD
has made an arrest connected to the shooting, but the larger
question of who was behind Saipov's assassination remains
unresolved.
YOVANOVITCH
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GEHRENBECK)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ ANNOUNCE ARREST IN SAIPOV INVESTIGATION
REF: A. BISHKEK 1337
B. BISHKEK 1320
C. TASHKENT 1889
BISHKEK 00001460 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: DCM Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: On December 5, the Kyrgyz Ministry of
Internal Affairs (MVD) announced the arrest of the owner of
the gun used in the October 24 murder of prominent journalist
Alisher Saipov (Ref B). The MVD also released the
photographs of two additional suspects in the shooting. The
MVD is reportedly still investigating different theories of
the case, including that the killing was ordered by religious
extremist groups or by the Uzbek secret services. MVD
officials had previously "excluded the possibility" of Uzbek
government involvement (Ref A). In a separate action,
approximately twenty journalists and supporters of Saipov
also held a small rally in front of the Kyrgyz White House on
December 4 to remind officials about the case. END SUMMARY.
CSI OSH: BALLISTICS EVIDENCE
--------------
2. (U) On December 5, Melis Turganbaev, head of the
Department of Organized Crime Control of the MVD, held a news
conference to announce the arrest of a suspect in the October
24 slaying of prominent journalist Alisher Saipov.
Turganbaev stated that the Kyrgyz authorities arrested the
owner of the firearm allegedly used in the murder but stopped
short of releasing his name. According to Turganbaev,
ballistics tests provided evidence connecting the owner's
weapon to the crime scene. Turganbaev also released the
photographs of two additional suspects wanted in connection
with the case and said that witnesses placed the two
individuals at the crime scene for several days prior to the
murder. Turganbaev also stated that the two suspects were
not residents of Kyrgyzstan.
MVD FOCUSES ON FOUR POSSIBLE THEORIES OF THE CASE
-------------- --------------
3. (U) Osh Oblast MVD officials told the press that they were
pursuing four theories of the case: that the murder was
ordered by religious extremist groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir
or the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; that the Uzbek
opposition party Erk organized it to embarrass the Uzbek
government; that organized crime was involved; and that the
Uzbek Security Services did it in response to Saipov's
anti-Karimov political reporting and activity with Uzbek
opposition parties. At his press conference, however,
Turganbaev was quoted as saying that the MVD had "excluded"
the possibility of Uzbek government involvement. Questioned
about the contradiction, Bakyt Seitov, head of the MVD Press
Service, told us that the MVD "could not exclude any
versions, including those linking the Uzbek government" and
that Turganbaev's statement was a "mistake."
RALLY HELD TO REMEMBER SAIPOV
--------------
4. (U) On December 4, a small group of approximately twenty
journalists and supporters gathered outside the Kyrgyz White
House to mark the fortieth day after Saipov's death.
Participants tied black ribbons to the presidential compound
gates and displayed an uprooted sapling to represent the life
of the young journalist cut short. The main organizer, human
rights activist Aziza Abdurasulova, said their goal was to
remind President Bakiyev not to forget about the Saipov case,
especially as he ordered the investigation be conducted under
his personal control. MVD officials dispersed the crowd in
less than an hour.
Comment
--------------
BISHKEK 00001460 002.2 OF 002
5. (C) Progress in the investigation -- at least reported
progress -- has been slow. It is a hopeful sign that the MVD
has made an arrest connected to the shooting, but the larger
question of who was behind Saipov's assassination remains
unresolved.
YOVANOVITCH