Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT490
2008-04-18 09:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: AUTHORITIES HARASSING RFE/RL
how-toVZCZCXRO1614 PP RUEHAG RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV DE RUEHAH #0490 1090936 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 180936Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0631 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3652 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1470 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1337 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1906 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2425 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000490
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR PHUM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: AUTHORITIES HARASSING RFE/RL
REPORTERS' FAMILIES
REF: ASHGABAT 0120
CLASSIFIED BY: CDA RICHARD E. HOAGLAND: 1.4 (B),(D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000490
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR PHUM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: AUTHORITIES HARASSING RFE/RL
REPORTERS' FAMILIES
REF: ASHGABAT 0120
CLASSIFIED BY: CDA RICHARD E. HOAGLAND: 1.4 (B),(D)
1. (C) On April 16 and 18, RFE/RL reporter Halmurat
Gulychdurdiyev updated Post on current pressures by the
government against him and another reporter to discourage
them from reporting for RFE/RL. Gulychdurdiyev said
harassment of RFE/RL reporters was intensifying again,
although it had abated after our intervention with the
president in January. This time, the authorities are also
pressuring family members when the reporters don't toe the
line. Osman Halliyev, the reporter in Turkmenabat whose
family has been a subject of harassment recently, told
Gulychdurdiyev that last week his son, who was studying in
Ashgabat at the Azadi Language Institute, was expelled
without explanation. This followed threats from security
service authorities who told the elder Halliyev his family
would pay if he did not stop reporting for RFE/RL.
Gulychdurdiyev said that Osman Halliyev,s reporting had
focused on government mismanagement in the course of this
year's spring seeding in Lebap province.
2. (C) One reason for the increased attention may be the
reporters' use of text messaging capabilities on their cell
phones. Gulychdurdiyev said that when he and his fellow
reporters want to report news events quickly, they are able
to send text messages within seconds to RFE/RL offices in
Prague. (NOTE: This kind of real-time communication is
likely outpacing security authorities' capacity to impede the
journalists' transmissions of report. Local authorities are
likely frustrated they have been unable to close the
information window. END NOTE.)
3. (C) Harassment of family members took a personal turn
this week for Gulychdurdiyev himself as well. His son's
wedding was to have been at an Ashgabat restaurant on April
20, but he learned on April 17 that representatives of the
Ministry of National Security (MNB,successor to the KGB) went
to the restaurant and told the manager to cancel the event.
His family had to reschedule the event for April 21 at a
different restaurant. In addition, he said that MNB
representatives had begun harassing his son's fiance and her
family, telling them that Gylychdurdiyev's family members are
"enemies of the state." They tried, but without success, to
pressure the young woman's family to call off the wedding.
MNB officers also went to the intended bride's place of work
and questioned her boss about her work history and practices.
Gulychdurdiyev himself seemed amazed that authorities have
taken this much interest in him. He said he knew they were
"low," but said this kind of behavior from government
officials makes him feel ashamed to call them fellow
countrymen.
4. (C) COMMENT: Authorities might be harassing the
reporters because they are quickly and effectively
disseminating details of the economic problems in the country
that contradict the reformist image the government wants to
project. The MNB is probably frustrated it cannot stop the
reporters' quick data transmission out of the country. While
the reporters themselves might be willing to put up with some
degree of harassment, pressure on family members
significantly ups the ante and might cause some of them to
have second thoughts. RFE/RL reporters could be specially
targeted because the security services view RFE-RL as the
voice of the opposition. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR PHUM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: AUTHORITIES HARASSING RFE/RL
REPORTERS' FAMILIES
REF: ASHGABAT 0120
CLASSIFIED BY: CDA RICHARD E. HOAGLAND: 1.4 (B),(D)
1. (C) On April 16 and 18, RFE/RL reporter Halmurat
Gulychdurdiyev updated Post on current pressures by the
government against him and another reporter to discourage
them from reporting for RFE/RL. Gulychdurdiyev said
harassment of RFE/RL reporters was intensifying again,
although it had abated after our intervention with the
president in January. This time, the authorities are also
pressuring family members when the reporters don't toe the
line. Osman Halliyev, the reporter in Turkmenabat whose
family has been a subject of harassment recently, told
Gulychdurdiyev that last week his son, who was studying in
Ashgabat at the Azadi Language Institute, was expelled
without explanation. This followed threats from security
service authorities who told the elder Halliyev his family
would pay if he did not stop reporting for RFE/RL.
Gulychdurdiyev said that Osman Halliyev,s reporting had
focused on government mismanagement in the course of this
year's spring seeding in Lebap province.
2. (C) One reason for the increased attention may be the
reporters' use of text messaging capabilities on their cell
phones. Gulychdurdiyev said that when he and his fellow
reporters want to report news events quickly, they are able
to send text messages within seconds to RFE/RL offices in
Prague. (NOTE: This kind of real-time communication is
likely outpacing security authorities' capacity to impede the
journalists' transmissions of report. Local authorities are
likely frustrated they have been unable to close the
information window. END NOTE.)
3. (C) Harassment of family members took a personal turn
this week for Gulychdurdiyev himself as well. His son's
wedding was to have been at an Ashgabat restaurant on April
20, but he learned on April 17 that representatives of the
Ministry of National Security (MNB,successor to the KGB) went
to the restaurant and told the manager to cancel the event.
His family had to reschedule the event for April 21 at a
different restaurant. In addition, he said that MNB
representatives had begun harassing his son's fiance and her
family, telling them that Gylychdurdiyev's family members are
"enemies of the state." They tried, but without success, to
pressure the young woman's family to call off the wedding.
MNB officers also went to the intended bride's place of work
and questioned her boss about her work history and practices.
Gulychdurdiyev himself seemed amazed that authorities have
taken this much interest in him. He said he knew they were
"low," but said this kind of behavior from government
officials makes him feel ashamed to call them fellow
countrymen.
4. (C) COMMENT: Authorities might be harassing the
reporters because they are quickly and effectively
disseminating details of the economic problems in the country
that contradict the reformist image the government wants to
project. The MNB is probably frustrated it cannot stop the
reporters' quick data transmission out of the country. While
the reporters themselves might be willing to put up with some
degree of harassment, pressure on family members
significantly ups the ante and might cause some of them to
have second thoughts. RFE/RL reporters could be specially
targeted because the security services view RFE-RL as the
voice of the opposition. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND