TURKMENISTAN: DIFFICULTIES FOR RFE/RL REPORTERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000045 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2019 TAGS: PHUM PGOV TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DIFFICULTIES FOR RFE/RL REPORTERS CONTINUE REF: A. 08 ASHGABAT 490 ¶B. 08 ASHGABAT 808 Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On January 9, poloff met with RFE/RL reporter, Halmurat Gylychdurdiyev, to discuss his current working conditions and recent reports of harassment of two other RFE/RL reporters, Osman Hallyev and Dovletmurat Yazguliev, by security officials. Gylychdurdiyev said security officials are not currently interfering with his work, except that he is followed and people are told not to talk to him. He attributed recent harassment of Halliyev and Yazguliev to the Turkmenistan government's dislike of criticism and dissemination of negative information about social conditions. In a telephone conversation, Halliyev confirmed that his house is watched by security officials and that family members have lost their jobs. Given the tough working conditions faced by RFE/RL reporters in Turkmenistan, it is crucial that their difficulties are not compounded by personal grievances with the government and low journalistic standards. END SUMMARY. WORKING WITHOUT OPEN INTERFERENCE ¶2. (C) Gylychdurdiyev's own harassment by security officials has been an ongoing problem in the past (ref A). He mentioned that during the period 2005-2008, he obtained 16 different mobile phone accounts, some of which were disconnected within 2-3 days. Currently, security officials are not openly interfering with his work, although they do follow him and his wife. If he talks to anyone, that person is then contacted by the officials and told not to talk with him anymore. Gylychdurdiyev suggested that the reason officials are not openly interfering could be that "they are ashamed of what they've done to him." GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT ¶3. (C) Gylychdurdiyev said his access to RFE/RL is via mobile phone and his internet connection at home. He thought his home internet connection was allowed because the authorities were aware of his close contacts with the Embassy. On the day following the December parliamentary elections, however, after he had broadcast a report about the elections, his mobile phone, as well as his wife's, daughter's and son's, and his land line were all disconnected. They remained disconnected for about two weeks. During that time, he would send reports from the public internet access at the Embassy's Information Resource Center. He would also visit local post offices and place international calls during which he would read his report. ¶4. (C) Gylychdurdiyev said there are currently five RFE/RL reporters in Turkmenistan. In addition, some civil society activists submit reports to RFE/RL. He mentioned Sazak Durdumaradov, a history teacher who was put in a psychiatric hospital in August 2008 after he spoke on REF/RL. He was released after a couple weeks and resumed his teaching position. Gylychdurdiyev said the experience did not silence Durdumaradov, but rather stirred up him. HALLIYEV AFRAID TO LEAVE HIS HOUSE ¶5. (C) Gylychdurdiyev could not give specific reasons for the recent harassment of Halliyev and Yazguliev. He claimed generally that it was due to the fact that the Turkmenistan government does not want the world to know about its violations of law, wants to hide negative aspects of life in Turkmenistan, and does not like criticism. Poloff spoke with Halliyev on January 9 via telephone. Halliyev confirmed that security police were posted outside his house and that he feared for his safety if he would go out. He said relatives had told him that the security police would arrange an "accident" for him. Halliyev mentioned that his brother was ASHGABAT 00000045 002 OF 002 fired from the Interior Ministry last year due to Halliyev's RFE/RL reporting. His son and his fiance have lost their jobs since the new year and his son-in-law also lost his job, all, according to Halliyev, because of his reporting. ¶6. (C) According to Gylychdurdiyev, Yazguliev is a former journalist with a local magazine who ended up in jail for a year when he blew the whistle about the misappropriation of some funds by his bosses. Since then he has been unemployed. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: The Turkmenistan government's pressure on RFE/RL reporters is an ongoing story. Since they generally provide negative information and criticism about the government and social conditions, their collective message is at odds with the image that Turkmen officials try to project. At the same time, as Post has reported previously (Ref B), some RFE/RL reports have been inaccurate, a flaw that violates journalistic standards and undermines the organization's credibility. Holding RFE/RL reports to higher standards of accuracy, and publishing timely retractions in cases of erroneous reporting, would strengthen our hand as we advocate on behalf of RFE/RL with the Turkmen government. END COMMENT. MILES