Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10BISHKEK5
2010-01-04 09:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:
KYRGYZSTAN: BALYKCHY DEFENDANTS GUILTY - ANOTHER
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C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000005
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN: BALYKCHY DEFENDANTS GUILTY - ANOTHER
BLOW TO THE OPPOSITION
REF: (A) BISHKEK 1067 (B) BISHKEK 831 (C) BISHKEK 812
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Larry L. Memmott, for Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000005
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN: BALYKCHY DEFENDANTS GUILTY - ANOTHER
BLOW TO THE OPPOSITION
REF: (A) BISHKEK 1067 (B) BISHKEK 831 (C) BISHKEK 812
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Larry L. Memmott, for Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (SBU) On December 25, the city court of Balykchy, a city
two hours east of Bishkek, sentenced four Social Democratic
Party of Kyrgyzstan supporters to four years in prison and
another 15 individuals to several years probation in
connection with post-presidential election protests. All the
defendants had been accused of organizing and participating
in a mass demonstration in Balykchy following the July
presidential election. The authorities also accused the
defendants of preventing elections, interfering with the
election commission, and threatening to overthrow the
government.
2. (SBU) During the July presidential election, election
observers witnessed blatant ballot stuffing at polling places
in Balykchy. A large group of residents gathered outside the
local election commission to protest, and police officers
attacked the group with batons and percussion grenades.
Several of those arrested were repeatedly beaten after they
were arrested, and at least one was threatened with rape.
One defendant, Kanatbek Solpiyev, has reportedly fled
Kyrgyzstan for Europe to seek political asylum.
3. (SBU) The trial of the Balykchy protesters was apparently
politically motivated. Evidence presented during the trial
seemed to indicate that the most serious crime any of the
accused might have committed was meeting without approval.
In addition, several of the arrested may have had nothing to
do with the protest and were innocently watching the
demonstration when they were arrested by police. The leader
of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek
Atambayev, who was present at the sentencing, criticized the
harsh prison terms and promised to appeal the verdicts to the
Supreme Court.
4. (C) COMMENT: The government sends a clear message to the
political opposition with the harsh sentences in the Balykchy
cases. We expect the on-going trial, and likely sentencing
on January 11, of former Minister of Defense, Presidential
candidate and political insider, Ismail Isakov, will also
send a clear signal that opposing the ruling party is risky.
MEMMOTT
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN: BALYKCHY DEFENDANTS GUILTY - ANOTHER
BLOW TO THE OPPOSITION
REF: (A) BISHKEK 1067 (B) BISHKEK 831 (C) BISHKEK 812
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Larry L. Memmott, for Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (SBU) On December 25, the city court of Balykchy, a city
two hours east of Bishkek, sentenced four Social Democratic
Party of Kyrgyzstan supporters to four years in prison and
another 15 individuals to several years probation in
connection with post-presidential election protests. All the
defendants had been accused of organizing and participating
in a mass demonstration in Balykchy following the July
presidential election. The authorities also accused the
defendants of preventing elections, interfering with the
election commission, and threatening to overthrow the
government.
2. (SBU) During the July presidential election, election
observers witnessed blatant ballot stuffing at polling places
in Balykchy. A large group of residents gathered outside the
local election commission to protest, and police officers
attacked the group with batons and percussion grenades.
Several of those arrested were repeatedly beaten after they
were arrested, and at least one was threatened with rape.
One defendant, Kanatbek Solpiyev, has reportedly fled
Kyrgyzstan for Europe to seek political asylum.
3. (SBU) The trial of the Balykchy protesters was apparently
politically motivated. Evidence presented during the trial
seemed to indicate that the most serious crime any of the
accused might have committed was meeting without approval.
In addition, several of the arrested may have had nothing to
do with the protest and were innocently watching the
demonstration when they were arrested by police. The leader
of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek
Atambayev, who was present at the sentencing, criticized the
harsh prison terms and promised to appeal the verdicts to the
Supreme Court.
4. (C) COMMENT: The government sends a clear message to the
political opposition with the harsh sentences in the Balykchy
cases. We expect the on-going trial, and likely sentencing
on January 11, of former Minister of Defense, Presidential
candidate and political insider, Ismail Isakov, will also
send a clear signal that opposing the ruling party is risky.
MEMMOTT