FORMER KYRGYZ CHIEF OF STAFF SADYRKULOV KILLED IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000206 SIPDIS DEPT FOR P - U/S BURNS DEPT ALSO FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KG SUBJECT: FORMER KYRGYZ CHIEF OF STAFF SADYRKULOV KILLED IN SUSPICIOUS CAR INCIDENT REF: A. BISHKEK 203 ¶B. BISHKEK 156 ¶C. BISHKEK 119 ¶D. BISHKEK 109 ¶E. BISHKEK 44 BISHKEK 00000206 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador Tatiana C. Gfoeller, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Former Chief of the Presidential Administration Medet Sadyrkulov was killed, apparently in a suspicious car accident early on March 13. A Lexus SUV with Sadyrkulov was reportedly parked on the side of a road in a Bishkek suburb when it was hit from the side by an Audi sedan, and the Lexus burnt. Minister of Internal Affairs Kongantiyev told the press that remains of two or three persons were recovered from the burnt vehicle; a dentist later confirmed one of the bodies as Sadyrkulov's. Sadyrkulov had resigned as Chief of Staff January 8 (Ref E), and in early February Sadyrkulov briefed the Ambassador on the reasons for his split with President Bakiyev and his plans to oust Bakiyev from power (Ref C). With the government ratcheting up pressure against opposition leaders (See Refs A and B),many will believe that Sadyrkulov's death was the result of a "staged" accident engineered by the government. End Summary. Early Morning Incident and Fire -------------- ¶2. (SBU) According to press reports, former Presidential Chief of Staff Medet Sadyrkulov was killed in a car accident early on March 13. At around 5:00 am, Sadyrkulov and at least one other person were in a Lexus SUV that was parked on the side of the road in a Bishkek suburb near Sadyrkulov's dacha. An Audi 100 sedan apparently lost control and hit the side of the Lexus. The Lexus then burned completely. The driver of the Audi survived and was taken to the hospital. He is reportedly being questioned by police, but has not been charged yet. ¶3. (SBU) Minister of Internal Affairs Moldomusa Kongantiyev told the press that two or three bodies were recovered from the Lexus, but DNA tests may be required to identify the remains. According to Kongantiyev, Sadyrkulov had given his bodyguards the night off and told them to meet him at his dacha in the morning. As the bodyguards were going to the dacha, they saw a vehicle being removed from the accident site. They found no one at the dacha, and then returned to the accident site. ¶4. (SBU) The AKIpress news agency reported that Sadyrkulov, along with the former director of the Kyrgyz International Institute for Strategic Studies, Sergei Slepchenko, and a driver traveled to Almaty, Kazakhstan on March 12. At 2:00 am March 13, Sadyrkulov telephoned his wife to say they were returning. At 2:30 am, their vehicle crossed the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border. The press also reported that the Lexus SUV belonged not to Sadyrkulov, but to Ak Jol Member of Parliament Erik Arsaliyev. Arsaliyev is the head of the International Affairs Committee in Parliament, and he hails from Sadyrkulov's home district of Kemin. Family at Morgue -------------- ¶5. (C) We first learned that it "appeared" Sadyrkulov was dead via a text message from former Vice Prime Minister Elmira Ibraimova (please protect),who was a protege of Sadyrkulov. She went to the morgue to help to identify the body. As of late afternoon March 13, members of Sadyrkulov's family were also at the morgue awaiting results of tests. A family member told us that the body was "burned beyond BISHKEK 00000206 002.2 OF 002 recognition." According to press reports, Sadyrkulov's dentist subsequently identified his remains on the basis of recent dental work. ¶6. (C) Contacts at the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed to us that the two bodies found in the vehicle had been badly burned, and they said it was possible that the bodies had been shot before being burned. Sadyrkulov's Split from Bakiyev -------------- ¶7. (C) Sadyrkulov resigned as President Bakiyev's Chief of Staff January 8 (Ref E). He subsequently turned down the offer to become Foreign Minister in part because he refused to approve the decision to close Manas Air Base. In early February, Sadyrkulov told the Ambassador that he had split with the President because Bakiyev had continued to put the interests of his family above the interests of the country. Sadyrkulov said that he planned to form a "new opposition" with former Vice Prime Minister Elmira Ibraimova, and he detailed plans to split the ruling Ak Jol part and oust Bakiyev. Sadyrkulov claimed that Bakiyev was aware of his plans and was taking steps to counter them. Sadyrkulov also asked for U.S. support for his efforts (Ref C). Speculation on the Incident -------------- ¶8. (C) There is already a great deal of speculation about the circumstances of Sadyrkulov's death. Ibraimova said she believes that Sadyrkulov was killed shortly after crossing the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border, and the subsequent fire was staged. A Wall Street Journal reporter contacted post late March 13 to convey that during a recent conversation, Sadyrkulov had told him of plans to travel to Almaty to meet with unnamed U.S. officials. The reporter indicated that he doubted Sadyrkulov's claims of meeting U.S. officials, but local press are reporting that Sadyrkulov met in Almaty with "influential representatives from politicial and financial circles of foreign government." Comment -------------- ¶9. (C) Comment: The exact sequence of events of the accident is still emerging, but the circumstances are certainly suspicious. Staged car accidents have been used before in Kyrgyzstan, and opposition MP Bakyt Beshimov recently told the DCM that he narrowly avoided such a staged accident on the Osh-Bishkek road (septel). Given the increased harassment of opposition members and journalists, many will suspect a government role in Sadyrkulov's untimely death. GFOELLER