Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT598
2009-05-12 13:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: INDIVIDUAL HUMAN RIGHTS CASE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHAH #0598 1321300 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 121300Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2796 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5180 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2924 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2789 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 3424 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 3540 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC QORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000598
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TX UN
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: INDIVIDUAL HUMAN RIGHTS CASE
SUBJECT BAZARGELDY BERDIYEV GOES MISSING
REF: 08 ASHGABAT 01472
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000598
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TX UN
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: INDIVIDUAL HUMAN RIGHTS CASE
SUBJECT BAZARGELDY BERDIYEV GOES MISSING
REF: 08 ASHGABAT 01472
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Post learned that individual human rights
case subject Bazargeldy Berdiyev has been missing sincQay 9
while in possession of a letter from an international court
that obliges the Turkmenistan Government to pay him and his
family $7 million in damages. The family had received
threatening phone calls in the days prior to his
disappearance, and RFE/RL correspondent Gylychdurdiyev is
postulating that the Turkmen Government intended to give
little, if any of the money, to the family. Law enforcement
authorities deny they are holding Berdiyev. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) On May 11, POLOFF met with RFE/RL correspondent
Halmurat Gylychdurdiyev, who had news to share regarding
Bazargeldy Berdiyev (Reftel). The reporter said that on the
morning of May 9, Berdiyev had gone missing after leaving his
house to go make some copies. Gylychdurdiyev said that
Berdiyev's family members told him that in March the family
had received a letter from the International Court at The
Hague. The letter indicated that as a result of a court
finding, the Government of Turkmenistan was obliged to pay
the Berdiyev family $7 million in compensation for lost
property as well as punitive damages. Gylychdurdiyev said he
had seen the letter in March, and that it instructed the
Berdiyev family to go to the bank to take possession of the
money. He noted, however, that the bank had been delaying
paying out the sum since then.
3. (C) Gylychdurdiyev said the Berdiyevs told him that
President Berdimuhammedov had been notified of the court's
finding, and had ordered the Prosecutor General's Office to
compensate the family. They claimed that the prosecutor
general and the bank had worked out a plan in which the
family would be paid only $2.7 million. The Prosecutor
General's Office notified the family that this sum was all
the two entities could afford to pay on the claim, but
Gylychdurdiyev claimed that officials of the two entities had
come up with a scheme to deprive the family of the remaining
$4.3 million and keep it for themselves.
4. (C) On May 7, the Berdiyevs had received a phone call in
which the caller clearly advised them to stop pursuing the
money, or something bad would happen. On May 8,
Gylychdurdiyev talked with UNDP project coordinator and
UNHCHR affiliate Irina Liczek about the letter, and Liczek
asked to see it. Post contacted Liczek, who confirmed having
met with Gylychdurdiyev on May 8. He had filled her in on
the basics of the case, and she said she'd asked him to bring
her a copy of the letter, so that she could determine whether
she could be of help. The reporter said that early the
morning of May 9, Bazargeldy Berdiyev left home to make
copies of the letter, and that he and the letter had
disappeared. According to Gylychdurdiyev, family members
made inquiries to the relevant law enforcement agencies. Law
enforcement officials say they know nothing of
Gylychdurdiyev's whereabouts. The reporter, however, said he
believes the MNB is holding Berdiyev. As of May 12, Berdiyev
was still missing.
5. (C) COMMENT: Post was not aware that the Berdiyev
family had filed an international court case. It may be that
a human rights organization filed the case on their behalf.
We have no concrete proof of what has happened to Berdiyev,
of the letter, or the amount supposedly awarded. Post wiQ
try to get more information regarding these events. END
COMMENT.
MILES
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TX UN
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: INDIVIDUAL HUMAN RIGHTS CASE
SUBJECT BAZARGELDY BERDIYEV GOES MISSING
REF: 08 ASHGABAT 01472
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Post learned that individual human rights
case subject Bazargeldy Berdiyev has been missing sincQay 9
while in possession of a letter from an international court
that obliges the Turkmenistan Government to pay him and his
family $7 million in damages. The family had received
threatening phone calls in the days prior to his
disappearance, and RFE/RL correspondent Gylychdurdiyev is
postulating that the Turkmen Government intended to give
little, if any of the money, to the family. Law enforcement
authorities deny they are holding Berdiyev. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) On May 11, POLOFF met with RFE/RL correspondent
Halmurat Gylychdurdiyev, who had news to share regarding
Bazargeldy Berdiyev (Reftel). The reporter said that on the
morning of May 9, Berdiyev had gone missing after leaving his
house to go make some copies. Gylychdurdiyev said that
Berdiyev's family members told him that in March the family
had received a letter from the International Court at The
Hague. The letter indicated that as a result of a court
finding, the Government of Turkmenistan was obliged to pay
the Berdiyev family $7 million in compensation for lost
property as well as punitive damages. Gylychdurdiyev said he
had seen the letter in March, and that it instructed the
Berdiyev family to go to the bank to take possession of the
money. He noted, however, that the bank had been delaying
paying out the sum since then.
3. (C) Gylychdurdiyev said the Berdiyevs told him that
President Berdimuhammedov had been notified of the court's
finding, and had ordered the Prosecutor General's Office to
compensate the family. They claimed that the prosecutor
general and the bank had worked out a plan in which the
family would be paid only $2.7 million. The Prosecutor
General's Office notified the family that this sum was all
the two entities could afford to pay on the claim, but
Gylychdurdiyev claimed that officials of the two entities had
come up with a scheme to deprive the family of the remaining
$4.3 million and keep it for themselves.
4. (C) On May 7, the Berdiyevs had received a phone call in
which the caller clearly advised them to stop pursuing the
money, or something bad would happen. On May 8,
Gylychdurdiyev talked with UNDP project coordinator and
UNHCHR affiliate Irina Liczek about the letter, and Liczek
asked to see it. Post contacted Liczek, who confirmed having
met with Gylychdurdiyev on May 8. He had filled her in on
the basics of the case, and she said she'd asked him to bring
her a copy of the letter, so that she could determine whether
she could be of help. The reporter said that early the
morning of May 9, Bazargeldy Berdiyev left home to make
copies of the letter, and that he and the letter had
disappeared. According to Gylychdurdiyev, family members
made inquiries to the relevant law enforcement agencies. Law
enforcement officials say they know nothing of
Gylychdurdiyev's whereabouts. The reporter, however, said he
believes the MNB is holding Berdiyev. As of May 12, Berdiyev
was still missing.
5. (C) COMMENT: Post was not aware that the Berdiyev
family had filed an international court case. It may be that
a human rights organization filed the case on their behalf.
We have no concrete proof of what has happened to Berdiyev,
of the letter, or the amount supposedly awarded. Post wiQ
try to get more information regarding these events. END
COMMENT.
MILES