Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASTANA351
2009-02-27 01:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Astana
Cable title:
KAZAKHSTAN: UPDATE ON CASES OF YESERGEPOV, ATTACKED
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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
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
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