Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT628
2009-05-15 14:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMEN DELEGATION TO UN IN VIENNA PRESENTS LIST
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000628
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN DELEGATION TO UN IN VIENNA PRESENTS LIST
OF HUMAN RIGHTS CASES
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Richard Miles for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000628
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN DELEGATION TO UN IN VIENNA PRESENTS LIST
OF HUMAN RIGHTS CASES
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Richard Miles for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
1. (C) On May 15, a Western embassy passed to post a copy
of the Note Verbale sent by the Permanent Mission of
Turkmenistan (to the United Nations office in Vienna) to the
Secretariat of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 3,
2009. The list contains a total of 78 people who can be
classified as prisoners of conscience or Human Rights cases.
The vast majority of names on the list--53--constitute some
but not all of those who were jailed in connection with the
attack on the former president,s motorcade in November 2002.
The only new information provided is the citing of the
criminal code articles under which they were prosecuted. Some
listings state that the person has freedom of movement now.
One is acknowledged to have died as a result of suicide.
Curiously, in seven of the 2002 cases, the sentence terms are
different than published in January 2003--one is shorter, the
rest are longer, according to the document.
2. (C) Eleven of those listed are Jehovah,s Witnesses who
were either prosecuted for their conscientious objection to
military service, or who were known human rights cases based
on their reports of beatings and detentions by Turkmen
authorities. Two others are other well-known religious
freedom cases, one of whom (Kalatayevsky) was deported to
Ukraine. Four are journalist cases, including those of
Victor Panov, deported to Russia, Kakabay Tejenov, RFE/RL,
who served time in a psychiatric institution, Nurberdy
Nurmammedov, a former political activist and sometime
commentator on RFE/RL, and Ogulsapar Muradova, who died in
detention in 2006. No additional information was provided in
these cases, and although mentioned, there was no information
at all on the status of the other two 2006 journalist arrest
cases of Sapardurdy Khajiyev and Annakurban Annaklychev.
3. (C) It identifies the following people as having been
released after having served their terms: Tashliyeva,
Khaidov, Mitogorov (a Jehovah's Witness),Nasirov (also a
JW),Zakirov (also JW),and Seidov (list claims he was
pardoned, but in fact he served out his term, according to
published information). Two of the cases ended with
deportation: Victor Panov and Vyacheslav Kalatayevsky. Three
other Jehovah's Witnesses were listed as pardoned, as was
human rights case Valeriy Pal.
4. (C) COMMENT: The document stated that there would be
"additional information" on these cases, and that "the
overwhelming majority of the individual cases have been
resolved positively under the new leadership of
Turkmenistan." However, the list reflects the static
situation in relation to those caught up in the 2002 attack,
and provides little additional information regarding the
current status or condition of many prisoners. However, at
least it officially confirms information already known. It
is probably an attempt by the government to be somewhat
transparent. Institute of Democracy and Human rights
Director Shirin Akhmedova told us earlier that during her
most recent time representing Turkmenistan before the Human
Rights Council in Geneva, she felt that she was being scolded
like a school girl. END COMMENT.
MILES
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN DELEGATION TO UN IN VIENNA PRESENTS LIST
OF HUMAN RIGHTS CASES
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Richard Miles for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
1. (C) On May 15, a Western embassy passed to post a copy
of the Note Verbale sent by the Permanent Mission of
Turkmenistan (to the United Nations office in Vienna) to the
Secretariat of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 3,
2009. The list contains a total of 78 people who can be
classified as prisoners of conscience or Human Rights cases.
The vast majority of names on the list--53--constitute some
but not all of those who were jailed in connection with the
attack on the former president,s motorcade in November 2002.
The only new information provided is the citing of the
criminal code articles under which they were prosecuted. Some
listings state that the person has freedom of movement now.
One is acknowledged to have died as a result of suicide.
Curiously, in seven of the 2002 cases, the sentence terms are
different than published in January 2003--one is shorter, the
rest are longer, according to the document.
2. (C) Eleven of those listed are Jehovah,s Witnesses who
were either prosecuted for their conscientious objection to
military service, or who were known human rights cases based
on their reports of beatings and detentions by Turkmen
authorities. Two others are other well-known religious
freedom cases, one of whom (Kalatayevsky) was deported to
Ukraine. Four are journalist cases, including those of
Victor Panov, deported to Russia, Kakabay Tejenov, RFE/RL,
who served time in a psychiatric institution, Nurberdy
Nurmammedov, a former political activist and sometime
commentator on RFE/RL, and Ogulsapar Muradova, who died in
detention in 2006. No additional information was provided in
these cases, and although mentioned, there was no information
at all on the status of the other two 2006 journalist arrest
cases of Sapardurdy Khajiyev and Annakurban Annaklychev.
3. (C) It identifies the following people as having been
released after having served their terms: Tashliyeva,
Khaidov, Mitogorov (a Jehovah's Witness),Nasirov (also a
JW),Zakirov (also JW),and Seidov (list claims he was
pardoned, but in fact he served out his term, according to
published information). Two of the cases ended with
deportation: Victor Panov and Vyacheslav Kalatayevsky. Three
other Jehovah's Witnesses were listed as pardoned, as was
human rights case Valeriy Pal.
4. (C) COMMENT: The document stated that there would be
"additional information" on these cases, and that "the
overwhelming majority of the individual cases have been
resolved positively under the new leadership of
Turkmenistan." However, the list reflects the static
situation in relation to those caught up in the 2002 attack,
and provides little additional information regarding the
current status or condition of many prisoners. However, at
least it officially confirms information already known. It
is probably an attempt by the government to be somewhat
transparent. Institute of Democracy and Human rights
Director Shirin Akhmedova told us earlier that during her
most recent time representing Turkmenistan before the Human
Rights Council in Geneva, she felt that she was being scolded
like a school girl. END COMMENT.
MILES