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
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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