Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TASHKENT722
2007-04-06 11:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:  

SENIOR POLICE OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS FOR

Tags:  PGOV KCRM KCOR KWMN UZ 
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VZCZCXRO7187
PP RUEHDBU
DE RUEHNT #0722 0961119
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 061119Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7659
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0148
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0162
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1963
RUEAWJC/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000722 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, G/TIP, INL, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2017
TAGS: PGOV KCRM KCOR KWMN UZ
SUBJECT: SENIOR POLICE OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS FOR
TRAFFICKING-RELATED OFFENSE

REF: TASHKENT 352

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 000722

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, G/TIP, INL, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2017
TAGS: PGOV KCRM KCOR KWMN UZ
SUBJECT: SENIOR POLICE OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS FOR
TRAFFICKING-RELATED OFFENSE

REF: TASHKENT 352

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


1. (SBU) Summary: A Ministry of Internal Affairs Lieutenant
Colonel has been sentenced to ten years in prison for seeking
a bribe from a trafficking victim. The state-controlled
press published a detailed account of his arrest. The
official had threatened the victim with three years in prison
and a fine for having left the country illegally, and
proposed to close her case in return for a $500 bribe. The
victim filed a complaint against the official with the
National Security Service, which arrested him in a joint
operation with the Prosecutor's Office. This conviction is
an important step forward in the GOU's efforts to protect
victims and combat trafficking. End summary.


2. (SBU) Tashkent Airport-based Ministry of Internal Affairs
Lieutenant Colonel Jaloliddin Khojiev has been convicted and
sentenced to ten years in prison for soliciting a bribe from
a victim of trafficking (reftel). A detailed account of
Khojiev's conviction appeared in the February 28 issue of the
state-controlled "Hurriyat" newspaper, and Post subsequently
confirmed the information. The trafficking victim, Rosa
Gabbasova, had been deceived into working as a commercial sex
worker in the United Arab Emirates. Upon her return to
Tashkent, airport border guards determined that she had
illegally traveled abroad and forwarded her documents to the
airport's Department of Internal Affairs Investigation
Department. Rather than offer support to a victim of
trafficking, Khojiev told Gabbasova that she faced three
years' imprisonment and fines. Khojiev offered to close her
case in return for a $500 bribe, noting that the only
alternative would be to pass her case to the courts.


3. (C) Following the advice of one of her friends, Gabbasova
filed a complaint about Khojiev with the National Security
Service, which followed up by launching a joint operation
with the Prosecutor's Office to arrest him. He was arrested
on criminal corruption charges and sentenced to ten years in
prison. Khojiev's wife, a nurse at a Tashkent clinic,
confirmed the information to an Embassy employee.


4. (C) Comment: We welcome the government's actions in
prosecuting Khojiev. Corruption remains a problem in law
enforcement and across society more generally. Prosecuting
Khojiev is an important step forward, and a sign of the
government's commitment to protect victims of trafficking and
combat trafficking in persons. It also likely reflects
continuing rivalry between the National Security Service and
Ministry of Internal Affairs, in which the former seeks to
appear more professional and powerful.

PURNELL