Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT238
2008-02-14 11:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: MORE THAN 1200 PARDONED FOR FLAG DAY
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UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000238
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MORE THAN 1200 PARDONED FOR FLAG DAY
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000238
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MORE THAN 1200 PARDONED FOR FLAG DAY
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) The government published the list of prisoners to
be freed under a pardon that President Berdimuhamedov
announced on February 13. He said that 1,269 prisoners would
be released in honor of Flag Day, which is February 19.
Today's "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" listed 1,254 names.
Preliminary examination of the list revealed that of 1,254
names, only 217 were sentenced to prison before 2007,
suggesting that the vast majority of those being pardoned
were those convicted of ordinary crimes. So far, post did
not find any names of those arrested in connection with the
2002 attempt on President Niyazov's life, nor were the names
of two journalists detained with Ogulsapar Muradova in late
2006 on the list. Additionally, no names were found, to
date, that were associated with individual human rights cases
with which post is familiar.
3. (U) Post will continue to confer with international NGOs
and examine the list in greater detail.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MORE THAN 1200 PARDONED FOR FLAG DAY
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) The government published the list of prisoners to
be freed under a pardon that President Berdimuhamedov
announced on February 13. He said that 1,269 prisoners would
be released in honor of Flag Day, which is February 19.
Today's "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" listed 1,254 names.
Preliminary examination of the list revealed that of 1,254
names, only 217 were sentenced to prison before 2007,
suggesting that the vast majority of those being pardoned
were those convicted of ordinary crimes. So far, post did
not find any names of those arrested in connection with the
2002 attempt on President Niyazov's life, nor were the names
of two journalists detained with Ogulsapar Muradova in late
2006 on the list. Additionally, no names were found, to
date, that were associated with individual human rights cases
with which post is familiar.
3. (U) Post will continue to confer with international NGOs
and examine the list in greater detail.
HOAGLAND