Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TASHKENT1188
2008-10-16 09:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:  

UZBEKISTAN: INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES THAT ACTIVIST

Tags:  PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI UZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
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FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
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INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 4395
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 0611
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC 0307
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC 0456
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 001188 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES THAT ACTIVIST
WAS NOT TORTURED

REF: A. TASHKENT 947

B. TASHKENT 1138

C. TASHKENT 1163

Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 001188

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES THAT ACTIVIST
WAS NOT TORTURED

REF: A. TASHKENT 947

B. TASHKENT 1138

C. TASHKENT 1163

Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)


1. (U) On October 14, a court in Karakalpakstan announced
that an investigation had determined that the health of human
rights activist Akzam Turgunov did not suffer as a result of
a police officer pouring boiling water on his back during
pre-trial detention. Turgunov was originally arrested in
July and has been charged with extortion by a court in the
town of Mangit in Karakalpakstan. Observers maintain that
the charges against him are politically-motivated (ref A).
Turgunov's trial, which was delayed in late September pending
the results of the investigation, recommenced on October 15
and is expected to conclude on October 17.


2. (C) Turgunov's lawyer, Rustam Tulyganov, told poloff that
he was disappointed with the investigation's conclusion. He
argued that Lieutenant Colonel Karim Berdiev, who reportedly
poured the boiling water on Turgunov's back, should be
prosecuted and imprisoned for up to five years. Tulyganov
added that that the prosecutor on October 15 requested that
Turgunov receive a sentence of 13 years' imprisonment. An
interview with Tulyganov was posted on October 15 on Radio
Free Europe's ozodlik.org website. Erk opposition party
member Dilorom Ishakova, who is monitoring Turgunov's trial,
told poloff that she had seen Turgunov's burns, which she
described as extensive (ref B).


3. (C) Comment: While not surprising, the news that the
court's investigation failed to conclude that Turgunov had
been mistreated in prison is disappointing, especially
considering that another human rights activist, journalist
Salidjahon Abdurakhmanov, was sentenced in Karakalpakstan on
October 10 to ten-years' imprisonment on drug charges (ref
C). We will continue to follow Turgunov's trial closely and
raise our concern with Uzbek officials.
NORLAND