Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BISHKEK1279
2008-12-24 07:38:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:
KYRGYZ OPPOSITION MEMBERS ARRESTED FOR PETITIONING
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001279
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GORKOWSKI)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/23/2018
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ OPPOSITION MEMBERS ARRESTED FOR PETITIONING
REF: BISHKEK 1201
BISHKEK 00001279 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Charge Lee Litzenberger for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001279
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GORKOWSKI)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/23/2018
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ OPPOSITION MEMBERS ARRESTED FOR PETITIONING
REF: BISHKEK 1201
BISHKEK 00001279 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Charge Lee Litzenberger for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Eight members of the opposition Ata Meken
party were arrested on December 19 while collecting petition
signatures in a Bishkek market. They were charged with
holding an unauthorized demonstration and with failure to
obey law enforcement officers. After spending a day in
police custody, some of the activists were fined a nominal
amount, and some were sentenced to three days in jail, but
released pending appeal. Group members knew that their
actions might provoke a response, but they were surprised by
the actual arrest and the prospect of three days in jail.
END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) Asiya Sasykbayeva, the Director of the NGO
Interbilim and a member of opposition party Ata Meken, and
seven other Ata Meken members were arrested on December 19
while collecting signatures on two petitions at a major
Bishkek outdoor market. One of the petitions protested the
government's planned privatization of the electricity
industry, and the second protested the use of law enforcement
agencies to harass opposition politicians. The group had
spent about 40 minutes collecting signatures, when police
moved in and took the activists into custody. There were
several media representatives, and at least one television
camera, present at the time of the arrest.
3. (SBU) Sasykbayeva subsequently told us that after
spending several hours in police custody, the opposition
members were separated into two groups, and brought before
two different judges. Both groups were charged with holding
an unauthorized demonstration, and with failure to obey law
enforcement officers. The judge for the first group, which
included Sasykbayeva, dismissed the count of holding an
unauthorized demonstration, and also dismissed out of hand an
officer's complaint that Sasykbayeva had used abusive
language towards him. He levied a nominal fine of 300 som
(about eight dollars). The second group was not so lucky,
with the judge sentencing them to three days of detention, in
addition to the 300 som fine. They were released pending
appeal.
4. (C) Sasykbayeva told us that prior to going out to
collect signatures, she and her group had considered the
possibility that they would be arrested, and they had ruled
out any idea of trying to run away, given the icy conditions
on the pavement. Still, the actual arrest had come as a
surprise, she said. Police officers surrounded the group,
accused them of blocking the market, and in a rough manner
took them to the police station. At the station, however,
Sasykbayeva said the officers were relatively friendly, and
indicated that they were not enthusiastic about the job they
had been given. Even the prosecutor of her case, the Deputy
Chief of the region, told her, "My job is to deal with
criminals, but we have to be involved with political things
because of orders from above."
5. (SBU) In a separate event, a pro-opposition local
council deputy was arrested on December 16 after he organized
a meeting among his constituents in a Bishkek suburb to
protest the privatization of the electricity industry. About
200 people attended the meeting. At a press conference on
December 23 attended by Pol FSN, the deputy said that the
district mayor and local police had warned him not to go
forward with the meeting. He was sentenced to 10 days of
detention on the charge of holding an unauthorized public
demonstration, and released pending appeal.
6. (C) Comment: Sasykbayeva, an outspoken critic of the
Kyrgyz government, knew -- and probably intended -- that her
group's actions might provoke a response, but she was still
surprised that the government reacted so strongly to their
BISHKEK 00001279 002.2 OF 002
small petition drive. The Kyrgyz government is worried about
possible civil unrest due to energy and food shortages this
winter, and it is trying to keep the opposition on a short
leash. While the government did allow the opposition's
kurultai (traditional public meeting) to proceed with over
600 participants on November 29 (reftel),it appears that it
will not tolerate any unplanned or unauthorized demonstration
or activity, however minor.
LITZENBERGER
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GORKOWSKI)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/23/2018
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ OPPOSITION MEMBERS ARRESTED FOR PETITIONING
REF: BISHKEK 1201
BISHKEK 00001279 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Charge Lee Litzenberger for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Eight members of the opposition Ata Meken
party were arrested on December 19 while collecting petition
signatures in a Bishkek market. They were charged with
holding an unauthorized demonstration and with failure to
obey law enforcement officers. After spending a day in
police custody, some of the activists were fined a nominal
amount, and some were sentenced to three days in jail, but
released pending appeal. Group members knew that their
actions might provoke a response, but they were surprised by
the actual arrest and the prospect of three days in jail.
END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) Asiya Sasykbayeva, the Director of the NGO
Interbilim and a member of opposition party Ata Meken, and
seven other Ata Meken members were arrested on December 19
while collecting signatures on two petitions at a major
Bishkek outdoor market. One of the petitions protested the
government's planned privatization of the electricity
industry, and the second protested the use of law enforcement
agencies to harass opposition politicians. The group had
spent about 40 minutes collecting signatures, when police
moved in and took the activists into custody. There were
several media representatives, and at least one television
camera, present at the time of the arrest.
3. (SBU) Sasykbayeva subsequently told us that after
spending several hours in police custody, the opposition
members were separated into two groups, and brought before
two different judges. Both groups were charged with holding
an unauthorized demonstration, and with failure to obey law
enforcement officers. The judge for the first group, which
included Sasykbayeva, dismissed the count of holding an
unauthorized demonstration, and also dismissed out of hand an
officer's complaint that Sasykbayeva had used abusive
language towards him. He levied a nominal fine of 300 som
(about eight dollars). The second group was not so lucky,
with the judge sentencing them to three days of detention, in
addition to the 300 som fine. They were released pending
appeal.
4. (C) Sasykbayeva told us that prior to going out to
collect signatures, she and her group had considered the
possibility that they would be arrested, and they had ruled
out any idea of trying to run away, given the icy conditions
on the pavement. Still, the actual arrest had come as a
surprise, she said. Police officers surrounded the group,
accused them of blocking the market, and in a rough manner
took them to the police station. At the station, however,
Sasykbayeva said the officers were relatively friendly, and
indicated that they were not enthusiastic about the job they
had been given. Even the prosecutor of her case, the Deputy
Chief of the region, told her, "My job is to deal with
criminals, but we have to be involved with political things
because of orders from above."
5. (SBU) In a separate event, a pro-opposition local
council deputy was arrested on December 16 after he organized
a meeting among his constituents in a Bishkek suburb to
protest the privatization of the electricity industry. About
200 people attended the meeting. At a press conference on
December 23 attended by Pol FSN, the deputy said that the
district mayor and local police had warned him not to go
forward with the meeting. He was sentenced to 10 days of
detention on the charge of holding an unauthorized public
demonstration, and released pending appeal.
6. (C) Comment: Sasykbayeva, an outspoken critic of the
Kyrgyz government, knew -- and probably intended -- that her
group's actions might provoke a response, but she was still
surprised that the government reacted so strongly to their
BISHKEK 00001279 002.2 OF 002
small petition drive. The Kyrgyz government is worried about
possible civil unrest due to energy and food shortages this
winter, and it is trying to keep the opposition on a short
leash. While the government did allow the opposition's
kurultai (traditional public meeting) to proceed with over
600 participants on November 29 (reftel),it appears that it
will not tolerate any unplanned or unauthorized demonstration
or activity, however minor.
LITZENBERGER