Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1599
2008-12-09 10:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: FOUR HUNDRED PRISONERS PARDONED FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO1792 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #1599 3441045 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 091045Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1981 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4582 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2386 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2251 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2830 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3136
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001599
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FOUR HUNDRED PRISONERS PARDONED FOR
NEUTRALITY DAY
REF: ASHGABAT 1395
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001599
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FOUR HUNDRED PRISONERS PARDONED FOR
NEUTRALITY DAY
REF: ASHGABAT 1395
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) On December 5, a presidential decree pardoned 400
prisoners in honor of the national Neutrality Day holiday
(December 12). The names of 390 releasees were published in
"Neutral Turkmenistan" newspaper on December 6. The
remaining ten prisoners were probably foreigners since their
names are not typically published in such lists.
3. (SBU) Post noted the release of Valeri Pal, who had been
tried on May 14, found guilty of theft, exceeding authority
and forgery, and sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment in a
strict regime prison (reftel). His family had contacted post
to seek help in obtaining his release due to his serious
health problems and inadequate medical treatment at the
prison. Post confirmed with a family member that Pal had
been released on the morning of December 7 and was at his
home in Turkmenbashy that evening. His health condition was
described as "all right."
4. (SBU) No individuals implicated in the November 2002
attempt on former President Niyazov were included on the
list. Neither were any individual human rights cases of
particular concern to post listed. Among the 390 people
released, 357 were men and 33 were women. Only 54 had been
convicted prior to 2008. The following shows the breakdown
of the year in which the released prisoners were convicted:
2002 - 1; 2003 - 1; 2004 - 2; 2005 - 2; 2006 - 11; and 2007 -
37.
5. (SBU) A political officer at the OSCE Center in Ashgabat
confirmed that, other than the release of Valeri Pal, none of
the other cases were of particular interest to the OSCE.
Most of the cases were quite recent, as noted above.
Regarding the Pal case, the OSCE Center had been contacted by
a foreign NGO and had provided advice about the appellate
process in Turkmen courts.
6. (SBU) COMMENT: While the pardon was certainly good news
for the concerned prisoners, the list indicated no softening
toward those arrested in 2002. Valeri Pal's release was
welcome news, especially since the GOTX was no doubt aware of
numerous embassy contacts with his family. Post will try to
meet with Pal in the near future. END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FOUR HUNDRED PRISONERS PARDONED FOR
NEUTRALITY DAY
REF: ASHGABAT 1395
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) On December 5, a presidential decree pardoned 400
prisoners in honor of the national Neutrality Day holiday
(December 12). The names of 390 releasees were published in
"Neutral Turkmenistan" newspaper on December 6. The
remaining ten prisoners were probably foreigners since their
names are not typically published in such lists.
3. (SBU) Post noted the release of Valeri Pal, who had been
tried on May 14, found guilty of theft, exceeding authority
and forgery, and sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment in a
strict regime prison (reftel). His family had contacted post
to seek help in obtaining his release due to his serious
health problems and inadequate medical treatment at the
prison. Post confirmed with a family member that Pal had
been released on the morning of December 7 and was at his
home in Turkmenbashy that evening. His health condition was
described as "all right."
4. (SBU) No individuals implicated in the November 2002
attempt on former President Niyazov were included on the
list. Neither were any individual human rights cases of
particular concern to post listed. Among the 390 people
released, 357 were men and 33 were women. Only 54 had been
convicted prior to 2008. The following shows the breakdown
of the year in which the released prisoners were convicted:
2002 - 1; 2003 - 1; 2004 - 2; 2005 - 2; 2006 - 11; and 2007 -
37.
5. (SBU) A political officer at the OSCE Center in Ashgabat
confirmed that, other than the release of Valeri Pal, none of
the other cases were of particular interest to the OSCE.
Most of the cases were quite recent, as noted above.
Regarding the Pal case, the OSCE Center had been contacted by
a foreign NGO and had provided advice about the appellate
process in Turkmen courts.
6. (SBU) COMMENT: While the pardon was certainly good news
for the concerned prisoners, the list indicated no softening
toward those arrested in 2002. Valeri Pal's release was
welcome news, especially since the GOTX was no doubt aware of
numerous embassy contacts with his family. Post will try to
meet with Pal in the near future. END COMMENT.
MILES