Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1424
2009-11-06 12:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
ZATOKA RELEASED FOLLOWING APPEAL; PLANS TO DEPART
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001424
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: ZATOKA RELEASED FOLLOWING APPEAL; PLANS TO DEPART
TURKMENISTAN
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1403
B. ASHGABAT 1420
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001424
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: ZATOKA RELEASED FOLLOWING APPEAL; PLANS TO DEPART
TURKMENISTAN
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1403
B. ASHGABAT 1420
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) On the morning of November 6, the Dashoguz appellate
court judge changed Andrei Zatoka's sentence from five years
in prison to a 1,000 manat (USD 353) fine, with immediate
release upon payment of the fine. Embassy's Public Affairs
Officer, who was present at the court building in Dashoguz,
although not permitted in the courtroom, was informed about
the court's decision during a recess in the proceeding.
According to Mrs. Zatoka, on November 5 she submitted
documents to the State Migration Service for both herself and
her husband to relinquish their Turkmenistan citizenship.
She said that everything moved very quickly, with the
Migration Service helping to complete the forms and arranging
for a bank to open after hours in the evening in order for
her to obtain money needed to pay filing fees and to pay the
1,000 manat fine. Although the Migration Service was
handling the details, according to Mrs. Zatoka it was all
done at the behest of the Ministry of National Security.
Following Zatoka's release, Migration Service officials
assisted the Zatokas to pack their household belongings and
load the items in a container for shipment to Russia. The
Zatokas plan to fly to Ashgabat on the evening of November 6
and to depart for Moscow on the following day.
2. (C) COMMENT: As Embassy predicted (Ref A),the key to a
resolution of this case was Zatoka relinquishing his
citizenship and becoming, in effect, "a foreigner." The
Turkmen routinely prefer to expel almost immediately
foreigners who run afoul of the law. At most, they languish
in jail for a few months before being amnestied and deported,
and those are usually Turkish. This gives the Turkmen a
face-saving way to rid themselves of Russian citizen Zatoka.
END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: ZATOKA RELEASED FOLLOWING APPEAL; PLANS TO DEPART
TURKMENISTAN
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1403
B. ASHGABAT 1420
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) On the morning of November 6, the Dashoguz appellate
court judge changed Andrei Zatoka's sentence from five years
in prison to a 1,000 manat (USD 353) fine, with immediate
release upon payment of the fine. Embassy's Public Affairs
Officer, who was present at the court building in Dashoguz,
although not permitted in the courtroom, was informed about
the court's decision during a recess in the proceeding.
According to Mrs. Zatoka, on November 5 she submitted
documents to the State Migration Service for both herself and
her husband to relinquish their Turkmenistan citizenship.
She said that everything moved very quickly, with the
Migration Service helping to complete the forms and arranging
for a bank to open after hours in the evening in order for
her to obtain money needed to pay filing fees and to pay the
1,000 manat fine. Although the Migration Service was
handling the details, according to Mrs. Zatoka it was all
done at the behest of the Ministry of National Security.
Following Zatoka's release, Migration Service officials
assisted the Zatokas to pack their household belongings and
load the items in a container for shipment to Russia. The
Zatokas plan to fly to Ashgabat on the evening of November 6
and to depart for Moscow on the following day.
2. (C) COMMENT: As Embassy predicted (Ref A),the key to a
resolution of this case was Zatoka relinquishing his
citizenship and becoming, in effect, "a foreigner." The
Turkmen routinely prefer to expel almost immediately
foreigners who run afoul of the law. At most, they languish
in jail for a few months before being amnestied and deported,
and those are usually Turkish. This gives the Turkmen a
face-saving way to rid themselves of Russian citizen Zatoka.
END COMMENT.
CURRAN