ANDIJON-BASED ACTIVIST SAIDJAHON ZAYNABIDDINOV

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000155

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL UZ
SUBJECT: ANDIJON-BASED ACTIVIST SAIDJAHON ZAYNABIDDINOV
AMNESTIED

REF: A. TASHKENT 143

B. TASHKENT 152

C. TASHKENT 19

D. TASHKENT 126

E. TASHKENT 118

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


1. (U) On February 5, the independent Harakat.net website
reported that Andijon-based human rights activist Saidjahon
Zaynabiddinov had been amnestied and released from the Zangi
Ota correctional camp in Tashkent province on February 2.
The article reported a telephone conversation Zaynabiddinov
had with Akbarali Arif, the Chairman of the Andijon-branch of
the opposition political party Birlik who is currently in
exile in Denmark, in which Zaynabiddinov stated that he had
been treated well while incarcerated and even had earned
590,000 soums (465 dollars) while working at the prison. The
article also noted that Zaynabiddinov was approached by
prison officials on February 1 and asked to sign several
unspecified document. On February 2, he was released from
the prison camp and was personally driven home to Andijon by
the camp's deputy director.

ZAYNIBIDDINOV SENTENCED FOR SPEAKING OUT ON ANDIJON EVENTS
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2. (U) Before his imprisonment, Zaynabiddinov served as
Chairman of the human rights group "Appeliatsia" ("Appeal"),
which was refused registration by authorities in March 2005.
He was originally sentenced to seven years' imprisonment in
January 2006 for extremist activity in connection with the
May 2005 Andijon events. Uzbek authorities arrested
Zaynabiddinov on May 21, 2005 and accused him of publishing
bulletins that "were intended to sow panic among the
population" and undermine Uzbekistan's public image.
Zaynabiddinov was one of the few activists in Andijon to
provide up-to-the minute reporting on the events as they
unfolded on May 13. In the days after the Andijon events,
Zaynabiddinov gave dozens of interviews to the international
press and others, accusing Uzbek forces of shooting unarmed
protesters.

RAPID REACTION GROUP CONFIRMS ZAYNABIDDINOV'S RELEASE
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3. (C) Members of the human rights Rapid Reaction Group (RRG)
first reported Zaynabiddinov's release to POLOFF on January

25. At the time, they acknowledged that his release was just
a rumor and could not be independently confirmed (ref A). On
February 5, POLOFF received confirmation of Zaynabiddinov's
release from RRG member Iskander Khudayberganov, who had
spoken to Zaynabiddinov over the phone on February 4. On
February 5, POLOFF was also able to reach Zaynabiddinov by
telephone in Andijon, who reported that he was in good health
and thanked the Embassy for its support during his
incarceration, which he believed played an important role in
his release. Zaynabiddinov also said that he planned to
travel to Tashkent in the next few weeks and offered to meet
with POLOFF then (Comment: We will see if Zaynabiddinov's
comments about being treated well in prison are repeated when
we meet with him in person. End comment.)

NEWSPAPER REPORTS 69 PRISONERS FROM ANDIJON AMNESTIED
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4. (U) On February 5, the state-controlled Halq Sozi

newspaper reported that 69 inmates from Andijon were released
under the December 2007 amnesty. The article further noted
31 of the inmates had already been provided jobs and 17
others were in the process of being employed. The article
did not mention Zaynabiddinov or any other political
prisoners by name.

COMMENT
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5. (C) Zaynabiddinov is the fourth high-profile human rights
activist to be amnestied this year. In the past few days,
the government also has amnestied Ikhtityor Hamroev, the son
of prominent human rights activist Bakhtiyor Hamroev, and
former Human Rights Watch staffer and journalist Umida
Niyazova (ref B). In January, the government also amnestied
Ezgulik activist Karim Bozorbayev (ref C). In addition,
several other political prisoners are rumored to be in line
for amnesty (ref D). We will see if this becomes a trend,
but for now it argues in support of the positive engagement
the U.S. and others in the international community have
adopted toward the GOU. We should look for ways to quietly
reinforce these steps and encourage further releases.


6. (C) Zaynabiddinov was one of the government's most vocal
critics in the aftermath of the Andijon events, and we have
long assumed that his imprisonment was an attempt by the
government to silence him. His release could be a sign that
the government is finally ready to address Andijon. In
recent weeks, the National Security Service also has shared
with post a new video and report providing additional detail
on the chronology of the events (ref E).
NORLAND