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