Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1282
2009-10-09 10:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: RECENT DRUG CRIME REPORTS
how-toVZCZCXRO6550 PP RUEHIK DE RUEHAH #1282 2821011 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 091011Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3595 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5768 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 3480 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3344 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4011 RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001282
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE BUHLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: RECENT DRUG CRIME REPORTS
REF: Ashgabat 172
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001282
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE BUHLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: RECENT DRUG CRIME REPORTS
REF: Ashgabat 172
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (U) On September 18th, the Ashgabat weekly "Adalat"
(Justice) reported that a 40-year old, unemployed
resident of Ak Bugday village in Ahal Province,
Gurbanberdi Charyev, had been arrested by State Counter-
Narcotics Service (SCNS) agents for selling narcotics.
Charyev had previously been sentenced to eight years in
prison for drug-related crimes, but was later pardoned
under a presidential decree. This time, Charyev received
a 12-year sentence.
3. (U) In the September 11 issue of Adalat, it was
reported that in Dashoguz Province, 43-year old Otuzbay
Orazmuhammedov and 32-year old Batyr Matyazov, both of
whom had prior drug convictions, were sentenced for drug
dealing to 13 and 12 years in prison, respectively.
4. (U) Similarly, the newspaper reported on October 2
that a resident of Nohurly village, near Ashgabat, 60-
year old Hojamuhammet Amanmuhammedov, also previously
convicted on drug charges several times, but then
released under a general presidential pardon, allegedly
purchased heroin from an unidentified subject on March
16. He was arrested in Ashgabat on April 9 by SCNS
officers with 12 doses of heroin (weighing 0.3 grams) in
his possession and later sentenced eight years in prison.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Under the Niyazov regime, convicted
drug smugglers were often given amnesty. Those same
convicts, many of whom returned to the drug trade after
their release, are finding themselves back in prison.
The government has since ceased giving amnesty to drug
offenders. None of the 1,284 prisoners released by the
president in September on the eve of the Muslim holy day
Laylat al-Qadr, ("Night of Omnipotence," which is marked
towards the end of Ramadan) had been sentenced for drug
related crimes. We note that he articles reporting the
above crimes were all written and submitted by either the
presiding judges or prosecutors in the cases. END
COMMENT.
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE BUHLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: RECENT DRUG CRIME REPORTS
REF: Ashgabat 172
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (U) On September 18th, the Ashgabat weekly "Adalat"
(Justice) reported that a 40-year old, unemployed
resident of Ak Bugday village in Ahal Province,
Gurbanberdi Charyev, had been arrested by State Counter-
Narcotics Service (SCNS) agents for selling narcotics.
Charyev had previously been sentenced to eight years in
prison for drug-related crimes, but was later pardoned
under a presidential decree. This time, Charyev received
a 12-year sentence.
3. (U) In the September 11 issue of Adalat, it was
reported that in Dashoguz Province, 43-year old Otuzbay
Orazmuhammedov and 32-year old Batyr Matyazov, both of
whom had prior drug convictions, were sentenced for drug
dealing to 13 and 12 years in prison, respectively.
4. (U) Similarly, the newspaper reported on October 2
that a resident of Nohurly village, near Ashgabat, 60-
year old Hojamuhammet Amanmuhammedov, also previously
convicted on drug charges several times, but then
released under a general presidential pardon, allegedly
purchased heroin from an unidentified subject on March
16. He was arrested in Ashgabat on April 9 by SCNS
officers with 12 doses of heroin (weighing 0.3 grams) in
his possession and later sentenced eight years in prison.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Under the Niyazov regime, convicted
drug smugglers were often given amnesty. Those same
convicts, many of whom returned to the drug trade after
their release, are finding themselves back in prison.
The government has since ceased giving amnesty to drug
offenders. None of the 1,284 prisoners released by the
president in September on the eve of the Muslim holy day
Laylat al-Qadr, ("Night of Omnipotence," which is marked
towards the end of Ramadan) had been sentenced for drug
related crimes. We note that he articles reporting the
above crimes were all written and submitted by either the
presiding judges or prosecutors in the cases. END
COMMENT.
CURRAN