Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TASHKENT2113
2007-12-12 13:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:
INCONSISTENCIES APPEAR IN ALISHER JUMAEV'S STORY
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHNT #2113 3461306 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 121306Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8904 INFO RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 3533 RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 9746 RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 4149 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0041 RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0013 RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0023 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 3756 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 2032 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0129 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0703 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0888 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0032 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2181 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 002113
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV UZ
SUBJECT: INCONSISTENCIES APPEAR IN ALISHER JUMAEV'S STORY
REF: TASHKENT 2109
Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 002113
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV UZ
SUBJECT: INCONSISTENCIES APPEAR IN ALISHER JUMAEV'S STORY
REF: TASHKENT 2109
Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) Summary: Upon the conclusion of a press conference on
the election (septel),Alisher Jumaev, who recently alleged
that a large number of law enforcement officials had raided
his family's home in the Karakul district of Bukhara province
(reftel),appeared at the Human Rights Alliance and spoke
with poloff and two members of the OSCE election monitoring
team. Poloff noticed several inconsistencies between the
story that Alisher told the OSCE observers and what he told
poloff on December 10 at the Embassy. One of the OSCE
observers offered to contact local election monitors in
Bukhara province to investigate Alisher's story and to pass
on any information to poloff. End summary.
2. (SBU) On December 12, the independent Uznews.net website
reported on the alleged raid on the home of dissident Yusuf
Jumaev in the Karakul region of Bukhara province, more or
less repeating everything that his son, Alisher, included in
an email to poloff on December 11.
3. (C) Alisher appeared at the Human Rights Alliance's
office upon the conclusion of the press conference on the
election. Poloff listened to Alisher's conversation with
two OSCE observers who attended the press conference and
noted several inconsistencies with the story he had told him
at the Embassy on Monday. For example, Alisher told the
observers that his brother was arrested in retaliation for a
report written by his mother and posted on the internet
alleging irregularities in the collection of signatures for
the official presidential candidates, something that he did
not tell poloff. Alisher also said his mother went into
hiding after being interrogated by NSS officers in Bukhara,
while he told poloff that his mother went into hiding before
she could be interrogated by the NSS. In addition, he also
described a particularly ridiculous car chase involving his
father and police that allegedly occurred the same day as the
raid upon his father's house. Furthermore, Alisher reported
that his mother was hiding in the basement of their house,
and he feared that she was also arrested during the alleged
raid on December 10.
4. (C) Afterwards, poloff spoke with the OSCE observer from
Poland, who also doubted Alisher's credibility. The election
monitor said that he would contact local election monitors in
Bukhara province to investigate the incident, and promised to
share with poloff any new information they uncover. Poloff
also noted that Alisher was interviewed by a local reporter
from Radio Free Europe, so the story could still be more
widely reported.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C) Given the apparent inconsistencies in Alisher's
story, we continue to suspect that he may be exaggerating
several details about the raid on his family's house or his
brother Mashrab's December 4 arrest, if not making up the
whole story. We also believe that he may be tailoring his
story for specific audiences, noting that he emphasized his
family's alleged role in uncovering electoral irregularities
to the OSCE observers. We will continue to follow the story,
and will pass along any new information that the OSCE's local
election monitors in Bukhara may uncover.
NORLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV UZ
SUBJECT: INCONSISTENCIES APPEAR IN ALISHER JUMAEV'S STORY
REF: TASHKENT 2109
Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) Summary: Upon the conclusion of a press conference on
the election (septel),Alisher Jumaev, who recently alleged
that a large number of law enforcement officials had raided
his family's home in the Karakul district of Bukhara province
(reftel),appeared at the Human Rights Alliance and spoke
with poloff and two members of the OSCE election monitoring
team. Poloff noticed several inconsistencies between the
story that Alisher told the OSCE observers and what he told
poloff on December 10 at the Embassy. One of the OSCE
observers offered to contact local election monitors in
Bukhara province to investigate Alisher's story and to pass
on any information to poloff. End summary.
2. (SBU) On December 12, the independent Uznews.net website
reported on the alleged raid on the home of dissident Yusuf
Jumaev in the Karakul region of Bukhara province, more or
less repeating everything that his son, Alisher, included in
an email to poloff on December 11.
3. (C) Alisher appeared at the Human Rights Alliance's
office upon the conclusion of the press conference on the
election. Poloff listened to Alisher's conversation with
two OSCE observers who attended the press conference and
noted several inconsistencies with the story he had told him
at the Embassy on Monday. For example, Alisher told the
observers that his brother was arrested in retaliation for a
report written by his mother and posted on the internet
alleging irregularities in the collection of signatures for
the official presidential candidates, something that he did
not tell poloff. Alisher also said his mother went into
hiding after being interrogated by NSS officers in Bukhara,
while he told poloff that his mother went into hiding before
she could be interrogated by the NSS. In addition, he also
described a particularly ridiculous car chase involving his
father and police that allegedly occurred the same day as the
raid upon his father's house. Furthermore, Alisher reported
that his mother was hiding in the basement of their house,
and he feared that she was also arrested during the alleged
raid on December 10.
4. (C) Afterwards, poloff spoke with the OSCE observer from
Poland, who also doubted Alisher's credibility. The election
monitor said that he would contact local election monitors in
Bukhara province to investigate the incident, and promised to
share with poloff any new information they uncover. Poloff
also noted that Alisher was interviewed by a local reporter
from Radio Free Europe, so the story could still be more
widely reported.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C) Given the apparent inconsistencies in Alisher's
story, we continue to suspect that he may be exaggerating
several details about the raid on his family's house or his
brother Mashrab's December 4 arrest, if not making up the
whole story. We also believe that he may be tailoring his
story for specific audiences, noting that he emphasized his
family's alleged role in uncovering electoral irregularities
to the OSCE observers. We will continue to follow the story,
and will pass along any new information that the OSCE's local
election monitors in Bukhara may uncover.
NORLAND