TURKMENISTAN: RFE/RL REPORTER IN LEBAP PROVINCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000297 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2019 TAGS: PHUM PGOV TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: RFE/RL REPORTER IN LEBAP PROVINCE CARRIES ON UNDER HEAVY PRESSURE REF: ASHGABAT 0045 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Sylvia Reed Curran. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: RFE/RL reporter Osman Hallyev and his family continue to suffer harassment from the authorities. It has reached the point where most of his family members either have been dismissed from work or school, or believe they soon will be dismissed, making it impossible to live a normal life. Friends and relatives avoid contact with them for fear of harassment by the authorities. According to Hallyev, his offer to stop reporting did nothing to mitigate the harassment. During February, Hallyev resumed his reporting, ingenuously acquiring new mobile phone numbers and filing reports before they could be detected. Due to the unrelenting stress and the lack of prospects for his family, Hallyev sees no choice but to eventually leave Turkmenistan. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) On February 27, poloff met with RFE/RL reporter Osman Hallyev at his home in Garashsyzlyk District, about 15 miles outside Turkmenabat in Lebap Province. Hallyev gave a detailed account of the government harassment, directed largely against his family, that is the result of his reporting for RFE/RL. On January 18, 2008, Hallyev's brother was fired from his job as a policeman at the Ministry of Internal Affairs ("MVD"),where he'd worked for 13 years. His brother has four children to support. On January 1, 2009, one of his sons and his daughter-in-law were fired from their jobs working for the municipality. The son was a gardener. Hallyev's daughter-in-law is expecting a child. On January 16, a court case brought to challenge the dismissals and seeking reinstatement was dismissed, with the judge ruling that the dismissals were justified. Another son, Umit, studied at the State Language Institute in Ashgabat during the 2007-2008 academic year. He said that twice during the school year, officials from the MVD threatened that, if his father did not stop his reporting for RFE/RL, he would be kicked out of school. At the end of the school year, he "failed" his final exam and was not allowed to continue to the next year. Umit then obtained a scholarship to study in Canada, but when he was going to depart from Turkmenistan on January 16, he was stopped at the airport and not allowed to leave. He said he was not given a reason, but told to go to the Migration Service. He went to the Migration Service, but they also did not give a reason. Umit explained that the Ministry of National Security ("MNB") prepares the list of those not allowed to leave the country. The Migration Service only carries out its instructions. ¶3. (C) Hallyev said that although he does not want to leave Turkmenistan, he and his family cannot continue to live here. In addition to the "permanent stress," he said they have no future in the country. Hallyev said his son cannot find a wife, and his children cannot work or study. The MNB questions visitors to his house. A car without license plates is often parked outside. He said people are afraid to say hello to them, and it is dangerous for friends and relatives to have contact with them. His daughter and sister, who are teachers, have already been told that they will be fired when their contracts end in August. ¶4. (C) According to Hallyev, the MVD has demanded that he stop reporting for RFE/RL. The authorities view him as "an enemy of the country." Hallyev said that after he is dead, "they will still watch (his) grave for five years." He explained that the authorities are so tough on him because he is the only RFE/RL reporter in Lebap Province. Before starting with RFE/RL, he said he never had any problems with the authorities. He is a journalist by training and worked for 25 years at a local newspaper, rising to the position of editor. After former President Niyazov became president, the newspaper was closed because it published criticism of the government. Hallyev remained unemployed for ten years, when ASHGABAT 00000297 002 OF 002 he was recruited to RFE/RL by a journalist in a neighboring district. That was about three years ago. That journalist has since wound up in prison for stabbing someone. During the first five months with RFE/RL, Hallyev said he had no problems. He asserted that the authorities knew about his activity, but "closed their eyes." Niyazov was still in power. He said his problems began when Berdimuhamedov became president. ¶5. (C) Despite the difficulties, Hallyev said that he still manages to send news reports to RFE/RL. He calls in the reports via mobile phone, buying a new SIM card with a new phone number each time and making the call immediately. Each card costs about eleven dollars. He prepares 4-5 reports in advance and reads them during one call. During February, he sent reports two or three times per week. During the prior two months, he did not send any reports. He mentioned that he offered to the MVD and MNB to stop making reports if they would leave his family alone. But the pressure continued, so he resumed reporting. Concerning the content of his reports, he said (with a smile) he "strongly criticizes the government." ¶6. (C) COMMENT: Hallyev's spirits were much better than when poloff last spoke with him in January (reftel). He explained that he had since gotten used to living with the latest round of difficulties. Nonetheless, the pressure has forced Hallyev to reluctantly look for an opportunity for himself and his family to leave Turkmenistan. If Hallyev really did try to cease his RFE/RL reports and the authorities continued their harassment, then maybe he is correct in thinking his family has no future in Turkmenistan. END COMMENT. MILES