Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TASHKENT1258
2008-10-31 04:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:
UZBEKISTAN: POLICE OFFICERS ON TRIAL FOR DEATH IN
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UNCLAS TASHKENT 001258
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: POLICE OFFICERS ON TRIAL FOR DEATH IN
CUSTODY
REF: TASHKENT 1226
UNCLAS TASHKENT 001258
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: POLICE OFFICERS ON TRIAL FOR DEATH IN
CUSTODY
REF: TASHKENT 1226
1. (U) In two recent articles from October 20 and October
27, the independent Uznews.net website reported that a trial
has begun at the Tashkent regional criminal court for four
police officers charged with beating and killing Muzaffar
Tuychiyev, a 30-year resident of the town of Angren in
Tashkent province. According to relatives, Tuychiyev was
detained by police officers in Angren in March and taken to a
local police station, where he was reportedly beaten to
death. The chief suspect - police officer Aziz Ahmedov - was
subsequently charged under five articles of Uzbekistan's
Criminal Code, including deliberately causing injuries
leading to death (article 104),abuse of office (articles
205, 206, 208),and forging evidence (article 235). The
other defendants, police officers Jahongir Ganiyev, Dilmurad
Peysenov, and Abdukasym Ismailov, were charged with similar
violations. In addition, the head of Angren's police
department, S. Asilhoayev, and the head of its investigatory
unit, R. Talipov, were reportedly removed from their
positions as a result of the case. The trial is ongoing.
48 OFFICIALS CONVICTED ON CRIMINAL CHARGES IN 2008
-------------- --------------
2. (U) On October 27, the Uzbekistan National News Agency
(UzA) reported that in a meeting chaired by Minister
Muhitdinov, the Justice Ministry announced that 48 government
officials were convicted on various criminal charges and 793
officials were convicted of various administrative charges
during the first nine months of 2008. In addition,
disciplinary charges were reportedly brought against 4,863
officials, and 327 officials were removed from their posts.
The article also reported that in line with President
Karimov's May 2008 decree on the 60th Anniversary on the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Ministry
engaged in "wide-scale activities" to raise the population's
awareness about their legal rights. The Justice Ministry's
meeting shortly follows the October 17 release of a major
report on trafficking-in-persons by the Prosecutor General's
Office (reftel).
COMMENT
--------------
3. (SBU) The Uznews.net reports are credible. While such
cases are still brought to court too infrequently, the trial
of the four police officers demonstrates that Uzbek officials
are occasionally held responsible for their misdeeds. We
will follow the rest of the case closely and report any
results. We also appreciate the apparent growing willingness
of the government to publicly release information from its
internal reports - including the number of officials
convicted of crimes and on trafficking cases - although we
must continue to seek independent verification of their
statistics.
NORLAND
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: POLICE OFFICERS ON TRIAL FOR DEATH IN
CUSTODY
REF: TASHKENT 1226
1. (U) In two recent articles from October 20 and October
27, the independent Uznews.net website reported that a trial
has begun at the Tashkent regional criminal court for four
police officers charged with beating and killing Muzaffar
Tuychiyev, a 30-year resident of the town of Angren in
Tashkent province. According to relatives, Tuychiyev was
detained by police officers in Angren in March and taken to a
local police station, where he was reportedly beaten to
death. The chief suspect - police officer Aziz Ahmedov - was
subsequently charged under five articles of Uzbekistan's
Criminal Code, including deliberately causing injuries
leading to death (article 104),abuse of office (articles
205, 206, 208),and forging evidence (article 235). The
other defendants, police officers Jahongir Ganiyev, Dilmurad
Peysenov, and Abdukasym Ismailov, were charged with similar
violations. In addition, the head of Angren's police
department, S. Asilhoayev, and the head of its investigatory
unit, R. Talipov, were reportedly removed from their
positions as a result of the case. The trial is ongoing.
48 OFFICIALS CONVICTED ON CRIMINAL CHARGES IN 2008
-------------- --------------
2. (U) On October 27, the Uzbekistan National News Agency
(UzA) reported that in a meeting chaired by Minister
Muhitdinov, the Justice Ministry announced that 48 government
officials were convicted on various criminal charges and 793
officials were convicted of various administrative charges
during the first nine months of 2008. In addition,
disciplinary charges were reportedly brought against 4,863
officials, and 327 officials were removed from their posts.
The article also reported that in line with President
Karimov's May 2008 decree on the 60th Anniversary on the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Ministry
engaged in "wide-scale activities" to raise the population's
awareness about their legal rights. The Justice Ministry's
meeting shortly follows the October 17 release of a major
report on trafficking-in-persons by the Prosecutor General's
Office (reftel).
COMMENT
--------------
3. (SBU) The Uznews.net reports are credible. While such
cases are still brought to court too infrequently, the trial
of the four police officers demonstrates that Uzbek officials
are occasionally held responsible for their misdeeds. We
will follow the rest of the case closely and report any
results. We also appreciate the apparent growing willingness
of the government to publicly release information from its
internal reports - including the number of officials
convicted of crimes and on trafficking cases - although we
must continue to seek independent verification of their
statistics.
NORLAND