OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON THE MURDER

UNCLAS STATE 005718 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV OSCE PHUM PREL KPAO KZ KG SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON THE MURDER OF A KYRGYZ JOURNALIST IN KAZAKHSTAN ¶1. (U) Post is authorized to present the following statement at the January 21, 2010, Permanent Council meeting in Vienna. Begin text: The United States is deeply concerned by recent attacks on and beatings of journalists. Over the past six months, there has been a series of violent incidents against the journalists and political commentators of the Kyrgyz Republic. The murder of Gennadi Pavlyuk, a Kyrgyz citizen who was attacked on December 16 in Almaty, is the latest such incident. We welcome the investigation into this attack announced by Kazakhstan's government and urge a thorough and transparent process. We urge the government of Kyrgyzstan to fully cooperate with this investigation and, if warranted, to carry out its own investigation. Journalists and free media are essential to a democratic and open society, and they should be able to work without fear or intimidation. Attempts to silence journalistic investigations and reporting through violence or intimidation cannot be tolerated. The United States expresses its condolences to the family of Mr. Pavlyuk. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. END TEXT. CLINTON