Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BISHKEK1218
2009-11-20 10:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:
RUSSIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST DEPORTED FROM
how-toVZCZCXRO3880 OO RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHEK #1218 3241008 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 201008Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2832 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1588 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3643 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3036 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
UNCLAS BISHKEK 001218
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST DEPORTED FROM
KYRGYZSTAN
REF: A. BISHKEK 154
B. BISHKEK 511
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLAS BISHKEK 001218
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST DEPORTED FROM
KYRGYZSTAN
REF: A. BISHKEK 154
B. BISHKEK 511
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
1. (SBU) On November 18, Bakhrom Hamroev, an ethnic Uzbek,
Russian citizen human rights activist working for the Russian
human rights center Memorial, was detained by the Kyrgyz
National Security Service (SNB) and deported to Russia. The
authorities also detained and later released Osh-based,
Izzatilla Rakhmatillaev, head of the local human rights
organization, Law and Order. The two activists were
researching allegations of torture and human rights
violations against ethnic Uzbeks deemed to be "religious
extremists and terrorists" by the local authorities,
particularly those convicted in connection with the Nookat
riots (Ref a). The activists had conducted interviews with
the families of individuals accused of having ties to Hizb-ut
Tahrir and convicted of incitement of mass disorder,
attempted disruption of the constitutional order, and
attempted spread of ethnic and religious hatred (Ref b).
2. (SBU) According to Aziza Abdurasulova of the human rights
group Kylym Shamy and Kubat Otorbaev, director of Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty, Hamroev and Rakhmatillaev were meeting
with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Uzbek Service stringer
Sherzod Usupov, when they were detained. The authorities did
not detain Usupov. Abdurasulova said that the rights
activists were held overnight and interrogated twice during
the night. Hamroev's camera, mobile phone, and computer
equipment were confiscated and not returned. The activists
told Abdurasulova that they had "been treated well and were
not going to file complaints of abuse". Both were released
the next day and, while the authorities deported Hamroev back
to Russia, they did not file criminal charges against
Rakhmatillaev.
3. (U) Comment: Hamroev has previously visited Kyrgyzstan
for his human rights work with Memorial. According to the
Russian press, Hamroev organized a protest at the Kyrgyz
Embassy in Moscow on October 20 demanding the resignation of
the head of the Kyrgyz SNB. That would seem the likely
explanation for his detention by the SNB and expulsion from
the country on his next visit. Of course, such actions by
the SNB are reprehensible, and we will seek opportunities to
make that point to our interlocutors in the Kyrgyz Government.
GFOELLER
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST DEPORTED FROM
KYRGYZSTAN
REF: A. BISHKEK 154
B. BISHKEK 511
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
1. (SBU) On November 18, Bakhrom Hamroev, an ethnic Uzbek,
Russian citizen human rights activist working for the Russian
human rights center Memorial, was detained by the Kyrgyz
National Security Service (SNB) and deported to Russia. The
authorities also detained and later released Osh-based,
Izzatilla Rakhmatillaev, head of the local human rights
organization, Law and Order. The two activists were
researching allegations of torture and human rights
violations against ethnic Uzbeks deemed to be "religious
extremists and terrorists" by the local authorities,
particularly those convicted in connection with the Nookat
riots (Ref a). The activists had conducted interviews with
the families of individuals accused of having ties to Hizb-ut
Tahrir and convicted of incitement of mass disorder,
attempted disruption of the constitutional order, and
attempted spread of ethnic and religious hatred (Ref b).
2. (SBU) According to Aziza Abdurasulova of the human rights
group Kylym Shamy and Kubat Otorbaev, director of Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty, Hamroev and Rakhmatillaev were meeting
with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Uzbek Service stringer
Sherzod Usupov, when they were detained. The authorities did
not detain Usupov. Abdurasulova said that the rights
activists were held overnight and interrogated twice during
the night. Hamroev's camera, mobile phone, and computer
equipment were confiscated and not returned. The activists
told Abdurasulova that they had "been treated well and were
not going to file complaints of abuse". Both were released
the next day and, while the authorities deported Hamroev back
to Russia, they did not file criminal charges against
Rakhmatillaev.
3. (U) Comment: Hamroev has previously visited Kyrgyzstan
for his human rights work with Memorial. According to the
Russian press, Hamroev organized a protest at the Kyrgyz
Embassy in Moscow on October 20 demanding the resignation of
the head of the Kyrgyz SNB. That would seem the likely
explanation for his detention by the SNB and expulsion from
the country on his next visit. Of course, such actions by
the SNB are reprehensible, and we will seek opportunities to
make that point to our interlocutors in the Kyrgyz Government.
GFOELLER