CHARGE ASKS GOU TO REVERSE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 001152 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2017 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL UZ SUBJECT: CHARGE ASKS GOU TO REVERSE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH ACCREDITATION DENIAL REF: TASHKENT 1146 Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY CDA BRAD HANSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D). ¶1. (C) Summary: Charge urged Deputy Foreign Minister Anvar Salikhbaev on June 19 to reconsider the GOU's accreditation denial to Human Rights Watch's (HRW) amcit staff member (reftel). Salikhbaev said he would take the message directly to the Foreign Minister, and did. End summary. ¶2. (C) Charge urged the GOU to reconsider the accreditation denial, as HRW is a widely-respected and internationally recognized organization that works internationally, including in the U.S. He mentioned an earlier demarche the German Ambassador and Charge made to the MFA and MOJ on behalf of the EU to grant visas and/or accredit HRW Director Andrea Berg (a German citizen) and the junior amcit staffer. Charge explained that with the permanent departure of Berg, HRW was looking for an appropriate replacement. In the meanwhile, the only permanent HRW staff in Tashkent is the junior employee, who happens to be an amcit. If her accreditation denial is not reversed and she is forced to leave Uzbekistan when her visa expires on July 22, the HRW office would effectively shut down. ¶3. (C) Salikhbaev responded with a rambling diatribe criticizing NGOs, including HRW, of spreading misinformation on Andijon and the human rights situation. He added that the GOU has demonstrated improvements in the human rights situation, including increased NGO access to detention facilities, but continues to "react in kind" to the misinformation campaign against Uzbekistan. ¶4. (C) Charge commented that Salikhbaev raised many issues, only a few of which touched on HRW. He reiterated his main point, saying that to an outside observer, denying accreditation and forcing the only HRW permanent staff member to depart Uzbekistan would appear as if the GOU was closing down HRW. He asked if the GOU really wanted to shut down HRW, one of the very few remaining international institutions in Uzbekistan. HRW writes many reports on the U.S., the Charge said, which are sometimes critical, even of the U.S., but governments, although they may not agree with HRW's observations, should allow the NGO to work. Salikhbaev responded that he was not familiar with the particular issue, but would pass the Charge's point to the Foreign Minister. In meeting later that day, the Deputy Head of the America's Desk told poloff Salikhbaev relayed the message to the Foreign Minister, who in turn will take it to the Ministry of Justice and higher, alluding to the presidential level. ¶5. (C) Comment: Charge's demarche follows one by the German Charge to the MFA European Division Chief Akhbarov on June ¶18. Subsequent to Charge's meeting with Salikhbaev, the Charge received a letter from HRW's Executive Director for European and Central Asia (who recently visited Uzbekistan), urging USG's support in persuading the GOU to reverse its accreditation denial. (Note: Scanned to SCA/CEN Nicolaides. End note.) Post suggests the Department raise the issue with the Uzbek Embassy. HANSON