KYRGYZSTAN: GROWING CONCERN ABOUT ATTACKS ON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001331 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SCA/PPD FOR DIAN MCDONALD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL KG SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN: GROWING CONCERN ABOUT ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS ¶1. (U) Summary: Over the past several months there have been a number of physical attacks and intimidation attempts targeting journalists and political analysts in Kyrgyzstan. The December 16 murder in Almaty of Kyrgyz journalist Gennadi Pavlyuk raised the international profile of the attacks. While there is a growing concern among journalists in Kyrgyzstan, the motives and the actors behind the attacks and threats remain unclear. End summary. Attack on journalist Pavlyuk -------------- ¶2. (U) Journalist Gennadi Pavlyuk was attacked in Almaty on December 16. He reportedly was thrown from a sixth-story apartment window with his arms and legs bound with duct tape. Although he survived the initial fall, he later died in the hospital on December 21. Press contacts in Bishkek do not know why Pavlyuk was in Almaty or who would want to kill him. Most note that he had not written many stories in 2009. ¶3. (U) Pavlyuk was a well known opposition journalist and editor who recently has been in discussions with Omurbek Tekebaev's Ata Meken political party to create a news web site for the party. Some speculate that Pavlyuk's death was connected to the news website and Tekebaev has spoken out saying that "I think that this is a politically motivated crime...in order to restrict freedom of speech in Kyrgyzstan." Tekebaev also speculated that Pavlyuk was lured to Almaty to discuss financing for the proposed web publication. ¶4. (U) Although the local opposition papers have all carried the story of the attack on Pavlyuk and his subsequent death, none of the government run or heavily government influenced papers have carried the story. Even Argumenti Facti, a newspaper where he previously worked as an editor, did not carry the story of the attack or his death. In addition, only one independent television news station carried the story. So far it has not been covered by either KTR, the national television station, or Channel 5, which is reportedly controlled by Maksim Bakiyev. ¶5. (SBU) On December 23, Mariya Rasner, head of Internews, a media training organization, and Marat Tokaev, chairman of the Journalist Association, met with Ilim Karybekov, spokesperson for the Presidential Secretariat, to discuss the recent attacks. According to Rasner, Karybekov stated that the Secretariat did not have any additional information about the killing of Pavlyuk. Karybekov also promised to get the national television station and Channel 5 to cover the story. In an interview with Radio Free Europe, Karybekov stated that "attacks on journalists, the use of force against them in the Kyrgyz Republic have increased...(the police) are trying hard to investigate these cases." Recent violence and threats -------------- ¶6. (U) The attack on Pavlyuk came on the heels of several other incidents of intimidation against journalists and political analysts. On December 15, a local-government-owned paper in Osh, Osh Shamy, received two threatening anonymous letters. One of the envelopes included a bullet from an AK-47 and was accompanied by the message that the other bullets were waiting in the gun's magazine. In addition to the threats, a reporter from Osh Shamy was attacked by three unidentified men on the night of November 2. Local police have said that it was simply a criminal attack, but the journalist stated he believed it was connected to articles that he had written that were critical of corruption at the local branch of the most important national university. ¶7. (U) On December 9, a pro-Russian political analyst, Alexander Knyazev, was beaten. On the same day, Bolot BISHKEK 00001331 002 OF 002 Januzakov, a political figure and Chief of Staff of former President Askar Akayev was also attacked. On December 15, a Russian journalist was beaten in Bishkek. While he originally claimed he was beaten by two men in uniform who referred to his journalistic activities, he later retracted his statement. Shortly afterwards, several journalists received a threatening email that referred to the attack on Knyazev and said "Knyazev did not hear the first time. Listen, we are warning you. All of you Russians, Koreans, Armenians, ...and all Akayev supporters, you need to leave our Kyrgyzstan and not interfere in our life. We know you all." Although several journalists received the email, the threat in the email was against foreigners, not journalists. ¶8. (U) In addition to the attacks and threats, earlier this month, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the family of Alisher Saipov, a journalist murdered in 2007, to re-open the case. The family believes that the police have falsely identified a well-known criminal as the culprit instead of properly investigating the murder of Saipov. Reaction of the media community -------------- ¶9. (U) On December 22, representatives from local press organizations met to discuss the response of the journalist community to the recent events. One of the conclusions in the report from the meeting is: "in most cases of recent journalist attacks it is hard to establish relationship between the attack and reporter's professional activity." 10 (SBU) On December 23, PAO and Pol/Econ Chief met with Mariya Rasner, from Internews, to discuss the results of the meeting and the reaction of the journalist community to the recent attacks. Rasner stated the there is growing fear in the media community, but that they have no clear picture as to who has been behind the recent attacks and intimidation. She added that they are not even sure who in the government they should address their concerns to as "they don't know who has the power to stop the attacks." She described the picture of the attacks and threats as "chaotic". Even in the recent Pavlyuk case, she said there is no clear political motive behind the attack. Although he had written some pieces critical of the first family, she said none of them were remarkable. In addition, she described the website project as non-threatening as Ata Meken party is relatively weak. Yet, she opined that this is clearly not just random crime and was directed towards Pavlyuk as a journalist. Comment -------------- ¶11. (SBU) It is unclear whether journalism in Kyrgyzstan is facing a concerted threat so sophisticated that it has been impossible to clearly identify it, or whether it is the general lack of security and competent law enforcement which has left journalists, like much of the population, vulnerable to violent attack. The motives behind recent attacks and intimidation remain unclear, and may vary from case to case. That makes it difficult for press organizations, human rights NGOs, or indeed, for us to respond effectively. Even the murder of Pavlyuk has left the media community confused as there is no clear line that can be drawn to his professional activity. Regardless of the source, however, there is clearly growing fear in the media community, which will affect its operations. MEMMOTT