Uzbekistan: Response to Ambassador's Letter on Activist's

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000005 SIPDIS AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PASS TO AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/08 TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV UZ SUBJECT: Uzbekistan: Response to Ambassador's Letter on Activist's Beating REF: TASHKENT 3; 09 TASHKENT 1585; 09 TASHKENT 1631 CLASSIFIED BY: Nicholas Berliner, Pol-Econ Chief; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (U) The Uzbek Foreign Ministry sent the Embassy a diplomatic note on January 7, responding to the Ambassador's letter to Foreign Minister Norov of January 6 concerning the beating of the brother-in-law of Birdamlik leader Bakhodir Choriev (Ref A). ¶2. (C) Comment: The Uzbek response to our letter to FM Norov is encouraging. While we still need to evaluate the competing versions of events provided by family members and the Uzbek authorities, the fact that the GOU responded so quickly (within 24 hours),and that the response was substantive, is a good sign. A year ago we could well imagine the Uzbeks ignoring such a query or telling us to stay out of their "internal" affairs. This does not mean we will be able to engage successfully, or even at all, on every human rights issue of concern to us in Uzbekistan. But it does suggest, in the wake of the Annual Bilateral Consultations (ABC) process launched in Washington on December 17-18 with the participation of FM Norov, A/S Blake and A/S Posner, that substantive exchanges on sensitive issues under the "human dimension" of the ABC may be possible. End Comment. ¶2. (SBU) Text of the Ministry diplomatic note: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 20/549 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America in Tashkent and in response to dipnote #24/10 dated January 6, 2010 has the honor to relay the information regarding the fact of infliction of bodily injuries to the citizen of Uzbekistan N. Normurodov. The Ministry avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States the assurances of its highest consideration. Tashkent, January 7, 2010 Information on the fact of infliction of bodily injury on N. Normurodov According to information of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Normurodov Nurmakhmat Nurkhonovich (DOB 1967) on December 25, 2009 at around 8:30 pm while driving his car together with his brother Normurodov Eshmakhmat Nurkhonovich as well as daughters Nurkhonova Rukhshona and Nurkhonova Durdona on the way to his father-in-law Khasan Choriev who resides at Kamay village of Kamashi district was stopped on the section of road that passes through Choshtepa village of Shakhrisabz district by his co-villager Akhadov Nuriddin Shodievich (DOB 1987) who was in state of intoxication. As a result of a quarrel which started between N. Normurodov and N. Akhadov, the latter inflicted bodily injury on the left side of N. Normurodov's face with a sharp cutting object. On December 30, 2009 on the basis of Shakhrisabz district forensic-medical examination conclusion (#336-ZHA dated 12.30.2009),which verified the fact of presence of slash-punctured wound near mouth, which falls under category of light wounds, the Department of Internal Affairs of Shakhrisabz district, in accordance with article 109 part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, initiated a criminal case # 7-407/09 against N. Akhadov. At present a preliminary investigation is being conducted. In connection with the fact that N. Normurodov was discharged from the Central Hospital of Shakhrisabz district, an additional forensic-medical examination was assigned to classify the severity level of the facial wound. End text of Ministry note. NORLAND