Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT45
2009-01-13 11:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:  

TURKMENISTAN: DIFFICULTIES FOR RFE/RL REPORTERS

Tags:  PHUM PGOV TX 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5540
PP RUEHAG RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHAH #0045/01 0131155
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 131155Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2107
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4666
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2469
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2334
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2914
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3210
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).

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