TURKMENISTAN: RFE/RL CONTRIBUTOR DURDYMURADOV

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000826

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, IIP, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: RFE/RL CONTRIBUTOR DURDYMURADOV
RELEASED AND RETURNED TO HIS FAMILY

REF: A. ASHGABAT 0820

B. ASHGABAT 0817

C. ASHGABAT 0811

Classified By: CDA RICHARD E. HOAGLAND: 1.4 (B),(D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: On July 4, a half hour before he was to
leave for the airport to greet Russian Federation President
Dmitriy Medvedev, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister
Rashid Meredov urgently called in the Charge. Meredov
conveyed the official position of his government that
detained Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) contributor
Sazak Durdymuradov, a 60-year-old high-school teacher and
respected member of his community, would be unconditionally
released on July 4 from the psychiatric facility where he was
incarcerated and returned to his family on July 5. Charge
instructed the Embassy's Public Affairs Officer to contact
RFE/RL journalist Gulychdurdiyev to be in touch with the
Durdymuradov family and, further, to tell RFE/RL in Prague to
report nothing -- repeat, nothing -- until Durdymuradov's
release is confirmed. On July 7, Post confirmed Durdymuradov
was released and returned to his family. We strongly
recommend that RFE/RL reporting avoid any hint of
triumphalism and focus solely on the fact of Durdymuradov's
release. Charge recommends the Department release a press
statement, following on its June 27 statement, welcoming the
release. END SUMMARY.

BACKGROUND


2. (C) At midday on July 4, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign
Minister Rashid Meredov urgently called the Charge to the
Foreign Ministry. Meredov told him that Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty contributor Sazak Durdymuradov would be
freed unconditionally and returned to his family.


3. (C) As reported reftels, Charge had increasingly upped
the ante to press the Government of Turkmenistan for this
outcome. Subsequent to reftel A, Charge told Meredov during
the Embassy's Independence Day dinner/reception on July 2
that Turkmenistan had "crossed a red line" and that the abuse
and detention of Durdymuradov would be a "dark and inhibiting
stain" on the U.S.-Turkmenistan relationship. He told
Meredov the U.S. Government categorically rejects the
explanation previously given (reftel A),allegedly a
teacher-student, community-values conflict, and that the only
acceptable solution would be Durdymuradov's unconditional
release and return to his family.


4. (C) During their brief July 4 meeting, Meredov told the
Charge he had personally intervened with President Gurbanguly
Berdimuhamedov, who had ordered a personal investigation into
the matter. They found that the incident was a
long-standing, ugly family conflict. Durdymuradov and his
blood brother, both families living in the same house, had
been feuding for eight years. The brother allegedly exploded
over some perceived slight and had Durdymuradov committed to
a psychiatric hospital for revenge.


5. (C) Meredov said the presidential investigation had
gained access to all relevant documents. He insisted that
the Ministry of National Security (ex-KGB) had not been
involved in any way. He further said he had read all the
documents of the "10 doctors" at the psychiatric facility in
Lebap Province who had all confirmed that there were "no
bruises or other marks" on Durdymuradov's body.


6. (C) Meredov said in his intervention with President
Berdimuhamedov the president had been "sad" for two reasons:
1) that such a thing could have happened in Turkmenistan when
he is committed to following the letter of the law on
international human rights standards and practices and that

ASHGABAT 00000826 002 OF 002


this had become a threat to the strong U.S.-Turkmenistan
relations we have worked so hard together to builld, and 2)
that the U.S. Government had alleged that he, Berdimuhamedov,
was a "gangster." (NOTE: For this latter, see the
"Washington Post" op-ed on July 2 by RFE/RL President Jeffrey
Gedmin, "Reporting Among Gangsters." END NOTE.) Charge
thanked Meredov for his personal commitment to resolving this
issue and praised his follow-up.


7. (C) A short time later, at the official arrival ceremony
at the Presidential Palace for Russian Federation President
Medvedev, Charge thanked President Berdimuhamedov for having
made the right decision. The president initially feigned
ignorance but then said, "You made clear this was important
to you. I conducted an investigation and discovered it was
all a 'technical mistake.'" The Charge again thanked the
president for having done the right thing and said this would
be positively noted in Washington.


8. (C) COMMENT AND RECOMMENDATION: We have no illusion that
probably Berdimuhamedov himself, possibly egged on by
negative forces within his government, made the initial
decision to "crush" Durdymuradov for his RFE/RL association.
Even so, we are encouraged that Berdimuhamedov, under
measured pressure, can move in the right direction. It is
essential that RFE/RL and others not take a triumphalist
approach in reporting Durdymuradov's release. It should be
noted with satisfaction, but that's all. The Government of
Turkmenistan will need time to heal from this confrontation
-- even though it was the guilty party. We recommend the
Department issue a press statement on July 7, following on
its June 27 statement, welcoming Durdymuradov's release. END
COMMENT AND RECOMMENDATION.
HOAGLAND