Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TASHKENT1163
2008-10-10 09:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:
UZBEKISTAN: JOURNALIST RECEIVES 10-YEAR SENTENCE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 001163
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: JOURNALIST RECEIVES 10-YEAR SENTENCE
ON DRUG CHARGE
REF: A. TASHKENT 947
B. TASHKENT 1138
C. TASHKENT 1155
Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 001163
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: JOURNALIST RECEIVES 10-YEAR SENTENCE
ON DRUG CHARGE
REF: A. TASHKENT 947
B. TASHKENT 1138
C. TASHKENT 1155
Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) On October 10, a court in Uzbekistan's Autonomous
Republic of Karakalpakstan convicted journalist Salidjahon
Abdurakhmanov of possessing narcotics with the intent to
distribute (criminal code article 273) and sentenced him to
ten years' imprisonment. His lawyer Rustam Tulyganov told
poloff that he planned to appeal the verdict based on the
fact that authorities never conducted a fingerprint analysis
tying the narcotics to Abdurakhmanov. Tulyganov will receive
an official copy of the verdict, which he offered to share
with poloff, from the Nukus Criminal Court on October 15, and
he expected that Abdurakhmanov's appeal would take place in
mid-November.
2. (C) Abdurakhmanov - a journalist for the independent
Uznews.net website and former reporter for Voice of America,
Radio Free Europe, and the Institute for War and Peace
Reporting - was originally detained on drug charges in Nukus
on June 7 after authorities allegedly found drugs in his car
during a traffic stop. Abdurakhmanov was initially charged
with simple drug possession (criminal code statute 276),but
these charges were later upgraded to possession with the
intent to distribute (criminal code statute 273) after blood
tests allegedly demonstrated that Abdurakhmanov had not used
drugs recently. Tulyganov and other observers have
maintained that Abdurakhmanov was targeted for his
journalism, which was often critical of local Karakalpak
authorities (ref A).
3. (C) During a meeting with visiting DRL Foreign Affairs
Officer Rachel Waldstein on September 22, Ministry of
Interior officials in Tashkent raised Abdurakhmanov's case,
without prompting, as an example of how human rights
activists distort facts in certain criminal cases. The
officials claimed that Abdurakhmanov was not singled out and
punished for his journalism, but was one of roughly 30
individuals who were arrested in Nukus on June 7 as part of
an anti-narcotics sweep. They also claimed that tests had
found drug residue on Abdurakhmanov's lips and underneath his
fingernails (Comment: The officials' arguments were
unconvincing and demonstrated that they were unfamiliar with
the specifics of Abdurakhmanov's case. If authorities had
evidence that he used drugs, they never presented such
evidence at trial. End comment.)
TRIAL CONTINUES IN KARAKALPAKSTAN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST
-------------- --------------
4. (C) Tulyganov is also defending human rights activist
Akzam Turgunov, whose trial on extortion charges continues in
the town of Mangit in Karakalpakstan (ref A). Tulyganov
reported that Turgunov's next hearing at the Mangit Criminal
Court is scheduled for October 14, when authorities will
present the findings of an investigation into whether a
police officer poured boiling hot water on Turgunov's back
during pre-trial detention. Tulyganov was not optimistic
that the investigation will lead to charges against the
police officer, and expected that the trial against Turgunov
would recommence the same day.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C) News of Abdurakhmanov's conviction is especially
disappointing as it falls on the heels of both a recent
EU-sponsored forum on media freedom in Tashkent and news that
Karakalpak authorities dropped religious extremism charges
against a local Protestant on September 26 (ref B). It is
possible, though unlikely, that Abdurakhmanov's ten-year
sentence may impact the EU's October 13 decision on whether
or not to ease sanctions against Uzbekistan (ref C). As
usual, the Uzbeks are their own worst enemies. We will raise
our concern with government officials over Abdurakhmanov's
conviction when the Ambassador travels to Karakalpakstan next
week. We also will continue to monitor legal proceedings in
both cases closely.
NORLAND
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: JOURNALIST RECEIVES 10-YEAR SENTENCE
ON DRUG CHARGE
REF: A. TASHKENT 947
B. TASHKENT 1138
C. TASHKENT 1155
Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) On October 10, a court in Uzbekistan's Autonomous
Republic of Karakalpakstan convicted journalist Salidjahon
Abdurakhmanov of possessing narcotics with the intent to
distribute (criminal code article 273) and sentenced him to
ten years' imprisonment. His lawyer Rustam Tulyganov told
poloff that he planned to appeal the verdict based on the
fact that authorities never conducted a fingerprint analysis
tying the narcotics to Abdurakhmanov. Tulyganov will receive
an official copy of the verdict, which he offered to share
with poloff, from the Nukus Criminal Court on October 15, and
he expected that Abdurakhmanov's appeal would take place in
mid-November.
2. (C) Abdurakhmanov - a journalist for the independent
Uznews.net website and former reporter for Voice of America,
Radio Free Europe, and the Institute for War and Peace
Reporting - was originally detained on drug charges in Nukus
on June 7 after authorities allegedly found drugs in his car
during a traffic stop. Abdurakhmanov was initially charged
with simple drug possession (criminal code statute 276),but
these charges were later upgraded to possession with the
intent to distribute (criminal code statute 273) after blood
tests allegedly demonstrated that Abdurakhmanov had not used
drugs recently. Tulyganov and other observers have
maintained that Abdurakhmanov was targeted for his
journalism, which was often critical of local Karakalpak
authorities (ref A).
3. (C) During a meeting with visiting DRL Foreign Affairs
Officer Rachel Waldstein on September 22, Ministry of
Interior officials in Tashkent raised Abdurakhmanov's case,
without prompting, as an example of how human rights
activists distort facts in certain criminal cases. The
officials claimed that Abdurakhmanov was not singled out and
punished for his journalism, but was one of roughly 30
individuals who were arrested in Nukus on June 7 as part of
an anti-narcotics sweep. They also claimed that tests had
found drug residue on Abdurakhmanov's lips and underneath his
fingernails (Comment: The officials' arguments were
unconvincing and demonstrated that they were unfamiliar with
the specifics of Abdurakhmanov's case. If authorities had
evidence that he used drugs, they never presented such
evidence at trial. End comment.)
TRIAL CONTINUES IN KARAKALPAKSTAN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST
-------------- --------------
4. (C) Tulyganov is also defending human rights activist
Akzam Turgunov, whose trial on extortion charges continues in
the town of Mangit in Karakalpakstan (ref A). Tulyganov
reported that Turgunov's next hearing at the Mangit Criminal
Court is scheduled for October 14, when authorities will
present the findings of an investigation into whether a
police officer poured boiling hot water on Turgunov's back
during pre-trial detention. Tulyganov was not optimistic
that the investigation will lead to charges against the
police officer, and expected that the trial against Turgunov
would recommence the same day.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C) News of Abdurakhmanov's conviction is especially
disappointing as it falls on the heels of both a recent
EU-sponsored forum on media freedom in Tashkent and news that
Karakalpak authorities dropped religious extremism charges
against a local Protestant on September 26 (ref B). It is
possible, though unlikely, that Abdurakhmanov's ten-year
sentence may impact the EU's October 13 decision on whether
or not to ease sanctions against Uzbekistan (ref C). As
usual, the Uzbeks are their own worst enemies. We will raise
our concern with government officials over Abdurakhmanov's
conviction when the Ambassador travels to Karakalpakstan next
week. We also will continue to monitor legal proceedings in
both cases closely.
NORLAND