Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TASHKENT22
2008-01-07 13:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:
GOU AMNESTIES HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST BOZORBOEV
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHNT #0022 0071359 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 071359Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9011 INFO RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 3597 RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 9810 RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 4211 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0101 RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0043 RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0089 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 3816 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 2092 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0189 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0761 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0933 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0075 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2234 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000022
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV UZ
SUBJECT: GOU AMNESTIES HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST BOZORBOEV
REF: A. 07 TASHKENT 2084
B. 07 TASHKENT 2183
Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000022
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV UZ
SUBJECT: GOU AMNESTIES HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST BOZORBOEV
REF: A. 07 TASHKENT 2084
B. 07 TASHKENT 2183
Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
1. (U) On January 4, the Associated Press reported that
Syrdarya province Ezgulik Deputy Chairman Karim Bozorboev,
who was convicted of fraud and sentenced to three and half
years' imprisonment in November (ref A),was amnestied and
released from prison.
2. (C) On January 7, Ezgulik Deputy Chairman Abdurakhmon
Tashanov confirmed to poloff that Bozorboev was amnestied by
the Guliston Criminal Court during his appeal hearing on
January 4. Tashanov was unsure whether Bozorboev was
amnestied only after his appeal was unsuccessful, or whether
he was amnestied before his appeal was fully considered,
although he believed the former was more likely. Tashanov
reported that Bozorboev was in good health and he promised to
arrange a meeting for poloff soon. He had not heard of any
plans to amnesty other imprisoned Ezgulik activists.
3. (C) Four other Ezgulik activists have been convicted of
politically-motivated charges in recent years and are still
languishing in Uzbek prisons: Abdurasul Khudaynazarov,
Ulugbek Kattabekov, Mukhammadali Karabaev, and Dilmurod
Mukhitdinov. Kattabekov was chair of the Jizzakh province
branch of Ezgulik and had actively investigated charges of
corruption against local authorities. In May 2005, he was
sentenced to three years' imprisonment on
politically-motivated charges of fraud and blackmail.
Khudaynazarov was chair of the Tashkent province branch of
Ezgulik and actively investigated charges of corruption
against local authorities. In January 2006, he was sentenced
to nine years' imprisonment on politically-motivated charges
of blackmail and fraud. Nazarov was chairman of the Zarbdor
district office of Ezgulik in Jizzakh province. In July
2006, he was sentenced to three and one-half years'
imprisonment on politically-motivated charges of extortion.
In 2006, a court in the Ferghana Valley sentenced Ezgulik
member Muhitdinov to five years' imprisonment on
politically-motivated charges of anti-constitutional
activity. Mukhitdinov was reportedly tortured in prison this
year and suffered two broken arms.
4. (C) Comment: Bozorboev is the first political prisoner to
be released under the December 2007 amnesty (ref B). While
we of course welcome his release, Bozorboev's amnesty (as
opposed to outright acquittal) conveniently allows GOU
authorities to maintain the fiction that he was in fact
guilty of the charges against him, which we believe were
politically-motivated. We will continue to press the Uzbek
government to release more political prisoners over the next
few months as part of the amnesty.
NORLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV UZ
SUBJECT: GOU AMNESTIES HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST BOZORBOEV
REF: A. 07 TASHKENT 2084
B. 07 TASHKENT 2183
Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
1. (U) On January 4, the Associated Press reported that
Syrdarya province Ezgulik Deputy Chairman Karim Bozorboev,
who was convicted of fraud and sentenced to three and half
years' imprisonment in November (ref A),was amnestied and
released from prison.
2. (C) On January 7, Ezgulik Deputy Chairman Abdurakhmon
Tashanov confirmed to poloff that Bozorboev was amnestied by
the Guliston Criminal Court during his appeal hearing on
January 4. Tashanov was unsure whether Bozorboev was
amnestied only after his appeal was unsuccessful, or whether
he was amnestied before his appeal was fully considered,
although he believed the former was more likely. Tashanov
reported that Bozorboev was in good health and he promised to
arrange a meeting for poloff soon. He had not heard of any
plans to amnesty other imprisoned Ezgulik activists.
3. (C) Four other Ezgulik activists have been convicted of
politically-motivated charges in recent years and are still
languishing in Uzbek prisons: Abdurasul Khudaynazarov,
Ulugbek Kattabekov, Mukhammadali Karabaev, and Dilmurod
Mukhitdinov. Kattabekov was chair of the Jizzakh province
branch of Ezgulik and had actively investigated charges of
corruption against local authorities. In May 2005, he was
sentenced to three years' imprisonment on
politically-motivated charges of fraud and blackmail.
Khudaynazarov was chair of the Tashkent province branch of
Ezgulik and actively investigated charges of corruption
against local authorities. In January 2006, he was sentenced
to nine years' imprisonment on politically-motivated charges
of blackmail and fraud. Nazarov was chairman of the Zarbdor
district office of Ezgulik in Jizzakh province. In July
2006, he was sentenced to three and one-half years'
imprisonment on politically-motivated charges of extortion.
In 2006, a court in the Ferghana Valley sentenced Ezgulik
member Muhitdinov to five years' imprisonment on
politically-motivated charges of anti-constitutional
activity. Mukhitdinov was reportedly tortured in prison this
year and suffered two broken arms.
4. (C) Comment: Bozorboev is the first political prisoner to
be released under the December 2007 amnesty (ref B). While
we of course welcome his release, Bozorboev's amnesty (as
opposed to outright acquittal) conveniently allows GOU
authorities to maintain the fiction that he was in fact
guilty of the charges against him, which we believe were
politically-motivated. We will continue to press the Uzbek
government to release more political prisoners over the next
few months as part of the amnesty.
NORLAND