KAZAKHSTAN: UPDATE ON CASES OF YESERGEPOV, ATTACKED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000351 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI KPAO KDEM KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: UPDATE ON CASES OF YESERGEPOV, ATTACKED JOURNALISTS REF: (A) ASTANA 0191 (B) ASTANA 0058 (C) 08 ASTANA 2383 ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Several cases recently reported in local and international media have raised concerns about increasing pressure against journalists in Kazakhstans. Three journalists were the victims of physical attacks fro December to February, while a fourth, Ramazan Yesergepov, remains in the custody of the Committee for National Security (KNB),charged with publishing classified government documents. This cable serves as an update on all four cases. END SUMMARY. YESERGEPOV -- AWAITING TRIAL ¶3. (SBU) Ramazan Yesergepov, the Editor-in-Chief of "Alma-Ata Info" newspaper remains in custody of the Zhambyl oblast branch of Committee for National Security (KNB) in Taraz on charges of disseminating classified information (see reftels). His wife Raushan Yesergepova told us on February 25 that his court date is yet to be set, although she expects it to be announced soon. Yesergepova said her appeals to the Prosecutor General to have a different agency, not the KNB, investigate her husband's case and to have him released on bail have been denied. She plans to present these appeals again once the trial begins. Yesergepova reports that she has been visiting her husband regularly; he is in good health and reports no mistreatment. NURPEISOV -- THREE SUSPECTS ARRESTED ¶4. (SBU) Bakhytzhan Nurpeisov, the journalist for "Obshestvennaya Positsiya" newspaper who was attacked and robbed on February 5, has returned home from the hospital, although he continues to undergo medical treatment. The Editor-in-Chief of "Obshestvennaya Positsiya" Rozlana Taukina alleged at the time that the attack was retaliation for Nurpeisov's articles about Astana Mayor Tasmagambetov's collection of rare cars. On February 18, the Almaty police detained three suspects in the attack, all of them migrant workers from Shymkent, who were caught selling some of Nurpeisov's belongings. The police are treating the case as an aggravated robbery. Taukina remains convinced that there was a political motivation behind the assault. We have been unable to reach Nurpeisov directly. BOLATAY -- POLICE SEARCHING FOR "HOOLIGANS" ¶5. (SBU) Yermek Bolatay, the web editor and part-time contributor to Radio Free Europe/Radio Azzatyk, was attacked on January 18. Several young men reportedly approached Boltai on the street and asked him for money; when he refused to hand any over, they assaulted him. The police are treating the case as a "hooligan attack," but no suspects have been apprehended. Bolatay is currently in Prague, and thus we were unable to reach him directly. MIUSOV -- CASE DISMISSED ¶6. (SBU) Artyom Miusov, a journalist for "Taszhargan" opposition paper, was attacked and stabbed three times on December 29. His attackers reportedly asked his name before stabbing him. Miusov spent a month in the hospital recovering from liver and lung injuries. "Taszhargan" Editor-in-Chief Yermurat Bapi told us shortly after the attack that he was not convinced that the incident was aimed at the paper, because Miusov did not write critical articles about politically sensitive subjects. Miusov filed a report with the police about the incident, but he told us on February 23 that the police dismissed his case claiming all the case documents had been lost. He said he won't push to resume the investigation because he does not believe the police are keen on investigating his attack. Miusov also told us that he has quit "Taszhargan" and is leaving opposition journalism as a result of the assault. ASTANA 00000351 002.2 OF 002 ¶7. COMMENT: The three assaults over a six-week period initially raised serious concerns about a coordinated, politically-motivated campaign to intensify pressure against Kazakhstan's opposition media. While we can not dismiss the possibility of political motives, at this point there are indications that one or more of these assaults could be purely criminal in nature. Nurpeisov's attackers did not just beat him, but rather robbed him of several very valuable items, including a notebook computer and a camera, and the police have arrested suspects who were reportedly trying to sell these items. On various occasions, "Taszhargan" Editor-in-Chief Bapi has alleged that he himself has been the victim of politically-motivated assaults; however, he does not believe that Miusov was attacked because of his work for "Taszhargan." END COMMENT. HOAGLAND