Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1057
2009-08-21 09:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: WILL "ADALAT" CONTINUE
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UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001057
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE BUHLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: WILL "ADALAT" CONTINUE
PUBLISHING DRUG CRIME REPORTS?
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001057
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE BUHLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: WILL "ADALAT" CONTINUE
PUBLISHING DRUG CRIME REPORTS?
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (U) On July 31, Ashgabat weekly "Adalat"
(Justice) newspaper published an article by Jumamyrat
Achylov, Judge of Azatlyk Etrap (district) Court,
reporting that two Ashgabat residents, Meylis Durdyev
and Nurberdi Bayramov, both of whom had previously
been convicted and later pardoned for drug-related
crimes, were again detained for illegal purchase,
possession, and sale of illicit narcotics the officers
of State Counter-Narcotics Service (SCNS). The
article stated that Durdyev and Bayramov were
sentenced to 10 and 11 years in prison, respectively.
3. (U) Similarly, in "Adalat" on August 14, Judge of
Niyazov District Court Dowlet Burinov reported that
Ashgabat resident, Gurbandurdy Amanov, allegedly
purchased one gram of heroin from an unidentified
subject at Choganly "Tolkuchka" Bazaar for the purpose
of resale. Burinov was sentenced for 11 years in
prison. He had also been previously convicted for
drug charges and then released under a general
presidential pardon.
4. (U) Another drug-related crime story was reported
in the same edition of "Adalat" by Aknur
Amanmuhammedova, Prosecutor's assistant from Ahal
Province. According to the report, Ashyrmyrat
Kuliyev, a 45 year-old farmer from Serahs (a town on
the border with Iran) allegedly purchased cannabis
seed from an unidentified person on March 2008 at a
bazaar in Tejen and planted it in his garden. In the
fall, Kuliyev produced 153 grams of marijuana from the
grown cannabis plant and offered it to his
acquaintance, Yazmyrat Movlamov. Movlamov purchased
marijuana from Kuliyev on February 18 for the
equivalent of 100 USD, but was detained by the SCNS
officers when he attempted to re-sell it. Kuliyev and
Movlamov were sentenced for 11 and 10 years in prison
respectively.
5. (U) COMMENT: On July 29, during the State
Security Council's meeting, the Minister of Defense
(MOD),Yaylym Berdiyev, criticized the editorial staff
of Adalat for failing to fulfill "its designated
tasks." Following the MOD's criticism, President
Berdimuhamedov fired Adalat's Chief Editor and
appointed Suvhanmyrat Baymyradov to this position.
Adalat is the only official source regularly reporting
on drug-related crimes. It remains to be seen whether
the new Chief Editor will find drug crime stories too
sensitive for publication or, on the contrary, will
improve the quality of the reports in the country's
leading law enforcement newspaper. Regardless of
future reporting trends, it is clear from the above
accounts that recidivism among convicted drug dealers
is a serious problem. Perhaps the Niyazov-era lenient
policy of presidential pardons encouraged potential
drug dealers, who even if caught and convicted,
nonetheless expected a short term behind bars.
Pardons for drug convictions are no longer allowed
under Berdimuhamedov. END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE BUHLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: WILL "ADALAT" CONTINUE
PUBLISHING DRUG CRIME REPORTS?
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (U) On July 31, Ashgabat weekly "Adalat"
(Justice) newspaper published an article by Jumamyrat
Achylov, Judge of Azatlyk Etrap (district) Court,
reporting that two Ashgabat residents, Meylis Durdyev
and Nurberdi Bayramov, both of whom had previously
been convicted and later pardoned for drug-related
crimes, were again detained for illegal purchase,
possession, and sale of illicit narcotics the officers
of State Counter-Narcotics Service (SCNS). The
article stated that Durdyev and Bayramov were
sentenced to 10 and 11 years in prison, respectively.
3. (U) Similarly, in "Adalat" on August 14, Judge of
Niyazov District Court Dowlet Burinov reported that
Ashgabat resident, Gurbandurdy Amanov, allegedly
purchased one gram of heroin from an unidentified
subject at Choganly "Tolkuchka" Bazaar for the purpose
of resale. Burinov was sentenced for 11 years in
prison. He had also been previously convicted for
drug charges and then released under a general
presidential pardon.
4. (U) Another drug-related crime story was reported
in the same edition of "Adalat" by Aknur
Amanmuhammedova, Prosecutor's assistant from Ahal
Province. According to the report, Ashyrmyrat
Kuliyev, a 45 year-old farmer from Serahs (a town on
the border with Iran) allegedly purchased cannabis
seed from an unidentified person on March 2008 at a
bazaar in Tejen and planted it in his garden. In the
fall, Kuliyev produced 153 grams of marijuana from the
grown cannabis plant and offered it to his
acquaintance, Yazmyrat Movlamov. Movlamov purchased
marijuana from Kuliyev on February 18 for the
equivalent of 100 USD, but was detained by the SCNS
officers when he attempted to re-sell it. Kuliyev and
Movlamov were sentenced for 11 and 10 years in prison
respectively.
5. (U) COMMENT: On July 29, during the State
Security Council's meeting, the Minister of Defense
(MOD),Yaylym Berdiyev, criticized the editorial staff
of Adalat for failing to fulfill "its designated
tasks." Following the MOD's criticism, President
Berdimuhamedov fired Adalat's Chief Editor and
appointed Suvhanmyrat Baymyradov to this position.
Adalat is the only official source regularly reporting
on drug-related crimes. It remains to be seen whether
the new Chief Editor will find drug crime stories too
sensitive for publication or, on the contrary, will
improve the quality of the reports in the country's
leading law enforcement newspaper. Regardless of
future reporting trends, it is clear from the above
accounts that recidivism among convicted drug dealers
is a serious problem. Perhaps the Niyazov-era lenient
policy of presidential pardons encouraged potential
drug dealers, who even if caught and convicted,
nonetheless expected a short term behind bars.
Pardons for drug convictions are no longer allowed
under Berdimuhamedov. END COMMENT.
MILES