TURKMENISTAN: SISTER-IN-LAW OF FORMER FM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000156 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019 TAGS: PHUM PGOV TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: SISTER-IN-LAW OF FORMER FM SHIKHMURADOV SEEKS HELP FOR SON TO EMIGRATE Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The sister-in-law of former Foreign Minister, Boris Shikhmuradov, Aina Shikhmuradova, contacted Political Officer to ask the Embassy to assist in obtaining permission for her youngest son to emigrate from Turkmenistan. Boris Shikhmuradov was the alleged leader of a plot to kill former President Niyazov in 2002. Since that time, Shikhmuradova's son Aman, then 14 years old, has been unable to attend school or hold a job. She would like him to be able to join her oldest son in Moscow, but both mother and son have been denied the right to leave the country. Despite the passage of more than six years, it appears that official sentiment against the alleged plotters and their families remains unforgiving. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) On January 26, poloff met with Aina Shikhmuradova, the sister-in-law of former Foreign Minister, Boris Shikhmuradov. Shikhmuradov was charged with being the mastermind behind the alleged assassination attempt against former President Niyazov in November 2002. Aina's husband and Boris' brother, Konstantin Shikhmuradov, was arrested in the roundup after the incident and given a 25-year prison sentence. Since that time she has had no news or letters from, nor visits with him. At the time of the alleged attempt, Konstantin was in the city of Mary on a three-day visit with a family member. Aina said when her husband arrived home to Ashgabat on November 25, he asked her what had happened because cars entering the city were being searched. She said no one in the family was aware that Boris had returned to Turkmenistan. She added that she did not know if Boris had been involved or not, and that there should be an open investigation of the incident to uncover the truth. ¶3. (C) Aina's youngest son, Aman, was 14 years old when the incident occurred; he'll turn 21 this year. Since that time he has not been allowed to attend school or hold a job. He applied for a job as a watchman at a construction site, but when they saw his documents he was turned away. Aina has two other sons. The eldest was in Moscow at the time of the incident and remained there. Aina said both she and Aman are Russian passport holders, although the Russian Embassy has been unwilling to assist them. Their request to obtain Turkmenistan citizenship was denied. On March 8, 2008 Aina and Aman tried to fly to Moscow, but Migration Service officials did not allow them to depart. ¶4. (C) Aina that said in 2001 Boris had had a personal conflict with then President Niyazov involving a nasty exchange of words, after which Boris had returned home upset. She said Boris had already asked to quit as Foreign Minister and had been given the choice of continuing to work or going to prison. He continued working on those terms for two years. In March 2001, Boris was sent to China as Ambassador. Before leaving, Aina said Boris urged Konstanin to be careful and warned that there could be a provocation involving their family. One week later, Aina and Konstantin's middle son was involved in a fight at a billiards club. He and two friends were given 25-year sentences after the instigator of the fight fell, hit his head and later died. ¶5. (C) Aina said she has no interest in leaving Turkmenistan, where she cares for her invalid mother-in-law and waits for news of her husband. She said that she's appealed to Turkmen authorities for allow her son to leave. Last week, she met with an official at the Institute for Democracy and Human Rights. He refused to accept a statement of her complaint, telling her to mail it instead. She said he didn't want to take responsibility by accepting the letter himself. She also mentioned that she's made frequent written requests for the right to visit her husband, but has never received a written response. ASHGABAT 00000156 002 OF 002 ¶6. (C) COMMENT: Despite the change of President two years ago, there has been no softening towards many of those implicated in the attack against Niyazov's motorcade. The net was cast especially wide in the case of key "plotters," as a result of which many of their family members, including young Aman, continue to suffer consequences. Any change in the government's treatment of the plotters and their families, such as allowing communication and visits with prisoners and freedom of movement for family members, would signal a real break with the past on the part of Turkmenistan's current leadership. MILES