Переведено с использщованием AI
id: 246212
date: 1/29/2010 11:56
refid: 10DUSHANBE123
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination: 09DUSHANBE95
header:
VZCZCXRO1342
RR RUEHDBU
DE RUEHDBU #0123/01 0291156
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 291156Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1189
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0417
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0158
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2597
—————— header ends —————-
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 000123
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/29/2020
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, KISL, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIK COURTS EXTORT, JAIL ISLAMISTS AND THEIR PLUMBER
REF: 09 DUSHANBE 95
CLASSIFIED BY: Ken Gross, Ambassador, EXEC, DoS.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Tajik courts
issued stiff sentences to
individuals convicted of membership in two outlawed Muslim
fundamentalist organizations as members of a third banned group
stand trial. Dushanbe city court
convicted seven individuals
who follow the banned Salafiya movement, although the convicted
men deny their membership in an organized movement. Khujand
city court convicted 10 members of the Hizb ut-Tahrir movement
for «attempting to overthrow the government.» An additional 92
members of the Muslim fundamentalist missionary group, Jamaati
Tabligh, stand trial in Dushanbe and Khatlon Oblast. Court
officials have solicited bribes from family members of the
accused Jamaati Tabligh members in exchange for acquittal or
lesser sentences. Though
mainstream Muslim leaders support the
convictions of Salafi and Hizb ut-Tahrir members, they view
Tabligh members as harmless missionaries and have called for
their release. END SUMMARY
DUSHANBE COURT: 5-7 YEARS FOR THE SALAFI SEVEN
2. (C) On January 23, a Dushanbe city court sentenced seven
individuals to prison terms ranging from five to seven years for
membership in the banned Salafiya «movement» and
«incitement of
religious and national hostility».
The men were arrested in
July 2009, when government security forced raided an
unregistered mosque. Poloff met
two associates of the convicted
«Salafis» in a small Dushanbe mosque on January 27 to discuss
the case. Both were middle-class,
well-spoken, and claimed
government links. Hoji Eraj,
whose father works for the
Ministry of Culture, is a young, unemployed imam. He escaped
arrest during the 2009 raid because he was not at the mosque
that day. He said the men
attending the mosque had never called
for jihad, criticized the government, or engaged in illegal
activities. «Anvar»
said he works for the President’s
Administration and is an Islamic scholar. His brother was
sentenced to five years. Both
denied the existence of a
separate Salafi movemente and identified themselves as «People
of the Sunni Community».
3. (C) According to Eraj and Anvar, court officials questioned
the accused men regarding their manner or praying and their view
of other Muslim groups, but did not present evidence of
anti-government activities. The
judge questioned why the men
loudly exclaimed «Amen» during prayer (rather than whispering
«Amen» per common Tajik practice), wore short pants and
shirtsleeves to mosques, and entered mosques without wearing the
traditional Tajik hat. Court
officials also asked the
defendants where they believed God exists (everywhere or in one
place) to ascertain whether their doctrine is Salafiya. Anvar
said court officials gave the defendants little opportunity to
testify. At one point, the imam
of the group, Eshoni
Sirojiddin, interrupted the proceedings and yelled, «You are
asking the defendant about the length of his pants!»
4. (SBU) Eshoni Sirojiddin was sentenced to seven years in
prison. Sirojiddin, known for his
abrasive style of preaching,
has denounced Shiites as «kafirs» (infidels), and regularly
quarreled with Tajikistan’s moderate Muslim establishment. When
visiting a mainstream mosque, he chided male worshippers that
allowing a wife to be in public without a hijab is the same as
allowing her to commit adultery.
He condemned the most
respected Imam in the country, Eshoni Nurridin, and the head of
the Islamic Revival Party, Muhiddin Kabiri, as friends of
«kafirs», because of their positive statements towards Shia
Muslims. Ismaili Shia make up the
majority in Tajikistan’s
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, which was controlled by the
opposition during the Civil War, and the government and the
moderate religious establishment have sought to suppress
anti-Shia rhetoric to prevent a revival of conflict.
5. (C) Eraj said that one of the men convicted was a plumber who
happened to be working at the home of Mullo Shahobiddin, deputy
Imam of the raided mosque when police arrived. He said the
plumber was unaffiliated with the group, but convicted as a
«Salafi» and sentenced to five years. Regarding Sirojiddin’s
quarrels with the traditional clergy, Eraj said «that was a
dispute between the elders, between people much wiser than us.»
Members of the group did not support any action to harm the
Shia, but sought to correct what they viewed as an incorrect
practice of Islam. He posited
that the traditional clergy felt
DUSHANBE 00000123 002 OF 003
threatened by Sirojiddin’s «rising star».
TRADITIONAL CLERGY SUPPORT SALAFI CONVICTIONS
6. (SBU) The Imam-Khatib of Varzob District, Domullo Sayido,
approved of the arrest and prosecution of the Salafis and said
that the movement risked creating «a split in society. They
don’t accept any interpretation of Islam except their own.» He
accused the Salafi movement of sparking fights among members of
Muslim worshippers because of their unorthodox praying style,
particularly the loud pronunciation of «Amen». Sayido said most
Muslim clergy welcomed the verdicts and expressed surprise that
the sentences weren’t longer.
«Society has turned against them
and there are very few left who support them.» Imam Sayido
would not describe the Salafis as «terrorists» or
«extremists»,
admitting «it is true that they never called anyone to
violence.»
7. (SBU) The government did not arrest Muhammadi Rahmatullo,
generally acknowledged to be the founder and leader of the Tajik
Salafiya movement. When Muhammadi
Rahmatullo and his followers
began attracting public interest in 2005, the government
supported them and offered the group space in the Dushanbe
Central mosque. Religious
observers have speculated that the
government’s initial tacit support for Salafis had been based on
the group’s usefulness as a counterweight to the IRPT and to the
traditional Muslim leadership (Reftel).
With Eshoni
Sirojiddin’s controversial statements, the government may have
decided that he and his followers had gone too far. Sayido said
the State Committee for National Security infiltrated and
monitored Sirojiddin’s «Salafi» mosque for six months prior to
the 2009 raid.
COURT OFFICIALS SHAKE DOWN JAMAATI TABLIGH MEMBERS
8. (SBU) Ninety-two members of the banned Jamaati Tabligh Muslim
fundamentalist missionary group face charges of «membership in
an extremist organization» (56 in Dushanbe City Court, 36 in
Khatlon Oblast). Members
travelled to mosques and homes to tell
Tajiks to pray the «Namaz» and wear traditional Muslim attire.
The group received funding from India and Pakistan. The
government banned Jamaati Tabligh in 2006. In April 2009, the
government raided a mosque and arrested 123 men accused of
membership in Jamaati Tabligh.
9. (SBU) Badriddin Sulymonov, a Tajik businessman living in
Almaty whose brother is standing trial, said court officials
demanded bribes from the moment of the arrests. Suspects who
paid between 2,000 and 5,000 dollars were released or charged
with lesser crimes. The state
prosecutor requested sentences of
two to six years imprisonment.
Family members expected verdicts
on January 28, but the judge adjourned the trial to review the
cases. Sulymov reported that
court officials, including the
judge and prosecutor, demanded nearly 30,000 dollars for his
brother’s acquittal. Sulymov paid
the money and expects that
his brother will be released with a fine. «Why do you think
they (the court officials) adjourned for the day, instead of
reading the verdicts? They need
more time to gather their
harvest (bribes).»
JAMAATI TABLIGH: JUST GOOD KIDS TEACHING PEOPLE TO PRAY
10. (SBU) Traditional clergy and influential Muslim leaders
broadly support Jamaati Tabligh’s activities and consider them
peaceful missionaries unfairly categorized as extremists. IRPT
leader Kabiri and influential Islamic/Political leader Hoji
Akbar Turajonzoda have called for their removal from the
extremist black list. Turajonzoda
publicly called for the
inclusion of Jamaati Tabligh members in President Rahmon’s
October 2009 amnesty. IRPT leader
Kabiri asked, «What is their
wrongdoing? That they are far
from politics and didn’t know
that Tajikistan banned them in 2006?
Right away we employ
repressive measures instead of explaining to them that their
organization is illegal here.»
Varzob Imam Sayido concurred
DUSHANBE 00000123 003 OF 003
that mainstream Muslim leaders supported Jamaati Tabligh and
called for members to be released.
HIZB UT-TAHRIR: TEN GET LONG TERMS IN SUGHD
11. (SBU) On January 26, Khujand city court sentenced 10 members
of Hizb ut-Tahrir to 8-15 years for «inciting religious
enmity»
and «attempting to overthrow the government». Most mainstream
Muslim leaders in Tajikistan view Hizb ut-Tahrir, which calls
for the establishment of an Islamic Caliphate, as a foreign,
«Uzbek» movement. They
generally support the ban on Hizb
ut-Tahrir, which they view, like the Salafiya movement, as a
foreign, divisive, ideology. The
movement’s support base is in
the Sughd Oblast, but has not appeared to be a major political
force. The «Salafiya»
movement is more widely discussed in the
media and appears to have greater influence among Tajik youth.
12. (SBU) COMMENT: The
government’s crackdown on «extremist
groups» stems from its fear of Islamic radicalism from
Afghanistan and knee-jerk repression of religious practices that
it views as foreign, such as the loud exclamation of «Amen»
during prayers. Though anti-Shia
statements made by the Eshoni
Sirojiddin were reprehensible, the government presented no
evidence that he or his followers were members of a Salafiya
movement or that such an organized following even exists in the
country. The government has
rather used the charge of
«Salafism» to jail imams, such as Eshoni Sirojiddin, whose
sermons created social discord, or Muslims whose worship
practices the government equates with radicalism. The corrupt
handling of the Jamaati Tabligh trial further erodes the
government’s credibility in managing religious affairs. The
traditional clergy have so far given the government a free hand
to detain members of groups they considered heterodox, but may
take issue with the imprisonment of a large number of Jamaati
Tabligh missionaries, whom they support.
Post will monitor
prominent Muslim political and religious leaders’ reactions to
the likely convictions of those Tabligh members who can’t buy an
acquittal. END COMMENT
GROSS
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 246724
date: 2/2/2010 11:59
refid: 10DUSHANBE143
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination:
header:
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RR RUEHAST RUEHDBU
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RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0026
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0101
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT 0113
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDHP/DIA DHP-1 WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
RULSJGA/USCG HQ WASHDC
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2637
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 000143
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC JFRIEDMAN, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC-AMT LSPRINGER
CBP/INA FOR SBAKER, GRISING
DHS/ICE FOR AMEFFERD
DOE/NNSA FOR JNOBLE, BPENTOLA
DOC FOR DCREED
USCG SHABTEMICHAEL
FRANKFURT PLEASE PASS TO ICE ATTACHE
BERLIN PLEASE PASS TO CBP ATTACHE
MOSCOW PLEASE PASS TO ICE ATTACHE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC, MNUC, PARM, PREL, KSTC, KNNP, SNAR, TI
SUBJECT: EXBS: TAJIKISTAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE — JANUARY
2010
I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS
A. None
II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD
A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD
1. Site Assessments
a) On January 20 the EXBS Staff
and the ODC Counter Narcotics
Program Manager visited Nizniy-Pyanj border crossing to meet the
new Customs Port Director. The
EXBS Staff examined the EXBS
funded Rapiscan luggage x-ray scanner at the passenger
processing terminal and the Rapiscan x-ray van used in the port
of entry. The monitor for the
luggage x-ray was inoperable and
the monitor in the x-ray van needed adjustments. The local
Rapiscan representative was contacted and he replaced the
luggage monitor and repaired the x-ray van monitor.
b) On January 22 the Lead EXBS
Program Management Assistant,
the EXBS Program Management Assistant and the EXBS Advisor
(hereafter the EXBS Staff) visited the construction site of the
Nuclear Radiation Safety Agency (NRSA) laboratory. The EXBS
Staff met with Director of the NRSA and the contractor’s
engineer to discuss construction completion plans. Installation
of the IAEA donated lab equipment has begun and will be
completed by February 15. The construction phase of the EXBS
project will be completed in mid-February and an opening
ceremony is planned for early March.
2. Meetings and Events
a) On January 14 the EXBS Staff
met with the Director of the
GOTI Customs Academy to discuss the future Federal Law
Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) assessment. FLETC staff
will conduct an assessment of the training curriculum at the
GOTI Customs Training Academy and will provide assistance in
developing new curriculum.
b) On January 16 Ambassador Gross
and the EXBS Staff
participated in a dedication ceremony at the new Customs
Training Academy in Dushanbe.
The EXBS funded project improved
the facility’s infrastructure and provided classroom furniture,
computers, monitors, printers, projectors, and audio/video
equipment for a general classroom, conference room and two
computer classrooms. A twelve passenger van was also donated to
the Customs Training Academy.
c) On January 28 the EXBS Advisor
and the ODC Counter Narcotics
Program Manager met with the Embassy Kabul Customs Coordinator,
Border Management Task Force. We
discussed future CENTCOM
funded joint Tajik and Afghan border training, equipment
problems at the Tajikistan Nizhniy-Pyanj and Afghanistan Sher
Khan Bandar ports of entry, and ongoing U.S.-funded border
DUSHANBE 00000143 002 OF 003
training and equipment donations in Afghanistan.
B. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING
REPORTING PERIOD
1. None
C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING
REPORTING PERIOD
1. Equipment Delivered at the
Opening of the Customs Academy
a) On January 16 a twelve
passenger van, three laptop computers
and a contraband detection kit were delivered to the GOTI
Customs Training Academy.
b) As part of the construction
and enhancement project the
following equipment and furniture was turned over to the GOTI
Customs Training Academy:
— 48 desks
— 48 student chairs
— 28 desktop computers
— 4 multi-purpose DVD and VCR
players
— 4 ceiling mounted projectors
— 2 internet hubs
— 5 heater and air-conditioner
combinations
— 4 large wall mounted screens
— 1 large heavy duty safe
D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT
STATUS UPDATE
1. Training
a) None
2. Equipment
a) None
DUSHANBE 00000143 003 OF 003
E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN
EXPORT CONTROLS,
NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY
None
III. RED FLAG ISSUES
A. None
POC for this report is Robert Granico, EXBS Advisor,
[email protected] , phone 992
37
229-2804; EXBS Program Assistant Dilorom Ganieva,
[email protected] , phone 992
37
229-2805.
GROSS
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 246960
date: 2/3/2010 11:49
refid: 10DUSHANBE149
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO5063
RR RUEHDBU
DE RUEHDBU #0149/01 0341149
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 031149Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1201
INFO RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0420
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0071
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0241
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0173
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2649
—————— header ends —————-
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000149
SIPDIS
DEA HQS FOR OC, OE, OGE
ANKARA FOR DEA/DESTITO
ISLAMABAD FOR DEA/DUDLEY
KABUL FOR DEA/MARSAC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/3/2020
TAGS: SNAR, PREL, PGOV, PTER, ASEC, TI
SUBJECT: INTERIOR MINISTER — THAT’S NOT MY ANTI-AMERICAN SCREED
CLASSIFIED BY: Ken Gross, Ambassador, EXEC, DoS.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (c), (d)
1. (C) Summary: Following the
issuance of a pamphlet claiming
that the United States Government intentionally supported the
narcotics industry in Afghanistan during the 1980s to destroy
the Soviet Union, the Minister of Internal Affairs (MVD) told
Ambassador that the pamphlet was unauthorized and did not
reflect MVD views. He conveyed
his view of events last summer
in Tavildara, and said training provided by the United States
was essential in defeating the insurgent incursion there. End
Summary.
2. (C) Ambassador called on Minister of Interior Abdurrahim
Kaharov on February 2 to raise concerns about a recently issued
MVD pamphlet. MVD officers
distributed the pamphlet, which
described the history of the MVD’s counternarcotics unit, at a
unit fifteenth anniversary event on December 26, 2009, attended
by Embassy officers and the Minister of Interior. The pamphlet
said that Afghans began producing opium poppy after the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan at the behest of the USG. Americans
profited from this business, and the USG wished to destroy
Persian, Islamic, and Soviet societies through drug addiction.
In this effort, the pamphlet said, the United States succeeded.
3. (C) Embassy Drug Enforcement Administration officers met with
the commander of the MVD narcotics unit on January 26 to raise
their concerns about the allegations in the pamphlet. They were
treated to an angry tirade from the unit chief, who defended the
allegations, claimed they were true because they could be found
on the Internet, said the USG had in fact done much worse than
the allegations in question, and insulted emboffs and the
Ambassador. The Drug Enforcement
Administration officers walked
out of the meeting.
4. (C) In the February 2 meeting, Minister of Interior Kaharov
said he had not authorized the issuance of the pamphlet and had
not vetted it. He apologized for
its content, and said his
staff had told him there might be a problem with the pamphlet,
but he had not had time yet to examine the issue. He assured
Ambassador that the MVD would cease distribution of the pamphlet
(which numbered 1,000 copies), and might print a retraction.
Ambassador thanked him for his attention to this matter, noting
the importance of U.S.-MVD cooperation on counternarcotics and
the size of USG support to the MVD ($1.7 million annually).
HIS VERSION OF TAVILDARA EVENTS
5. (C) Kaharov also spoke at length about the importance of U.S.
support to the MVD and credited U.S.-provided Anti-Terrorism
Assistance (ATA) training and equipment with enabling the MVD to
defeat an insurgent group in Tavildara district in summer 2009.
He said the origin of the Tavildara events was the attempt by
Mirzo Ziyoev (former opposition commander, then Emergency
Situations Committee Chairman in the post civil war government)
and «his associate» Ne’mat Azizov to establish a transport
channel with Pakistan using members of the Islamic Movement of
Uzbekistan (IMU). Ten Russian
citizens of Dagestani, Korean,
and Russian ethnicity joined them from Saint Petersburg and
tried quite seriously to destabilize Tajikistan. After
sporadically successful MVD attempts to track the group, the
militants, numbering 50-70 men, eventually «came out of the
forest» and attacked the town of Tavildara. MVD forces had
taken position around the town and the surrounding heights and
drove them off. After another
month of tracking the group, the
MVD surrounded and destroyed it; only two militants escaped.
6. (C) Kaharov said a critical element of the government’s
success was the support of the local population, who were tired
of foreign fighters and war. MVD
troops operated under strict
instructions not to take any supplies from the locals nor abuse
them in any way. In response to
Ambassador’s question, Kaharov
said he believed the incursion was not a probe to test
government reactions, but was a serious attempt to destabilize
DUSHANBE 00000149 002 OF 002
Tajikistan.
7. (C) Comment: Old Soviet and
more recent Russian propaganda
against the United States influence individual officials in
Tajikistan. This incident
highlights the public diplomacy
challenge we face in defending U.S. interests here. Kaharov’s
comments on Tavildara also show the benefits to local and
regional stability of our ATA training in Tajikistan and the
Tajiks’ strong interest in getting more such training. End
Comment.
GROSS
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 247017
date: 2/3/2010 14:41
refid: 10DUSHANBE150
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
destination: 09DUSHANBE1435|09DUSHANBE575
header:
VZCZCXRO5238
RR RUEHLN RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0150/01 0341441
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031441Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1203
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2651
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 000150
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, KRFR, TI
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS MINORITY GROUPS FACE RED TAPE, NOT CLOSURE
REF: A) 09 DUSHANBE 1435 B) 09 DUSHANBE 575
DUSHANBE 00000150 001.2 OF 003
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Most of
Tajikistan’s previously registered
religious groups and nearly all mosques completed mandatory
re-registration with the Department of Religious Affairs (DRA)
before their January 1, 2010 deadline.
The Dushanbe synagogue
was not able to re-register because of a land ownership issue.
The DRA re-registered six of the Union of Evangelical Christian
Baptists’ (UECB) member churches, but not the Union itself. The
Head of the DRA blamed his Department’s failure to re-register
these groups on bureaucratic snags, promised to help the Baptist
and Jewish communities resolve their registration issues, and
pledged that the government would not interfere with their
activities in the meantime. On
January 20, a Dushanbe court
upheld a ruling that the activities of a separate Baptist
congregation were illegal due to its refusal to apply for the
mandatory registration. END
SUMMARY
UECB: FREE TO WORSHIP, BUT
RE-REGISTRATION OF UNION DENIED
2. (SBU) Pastor Andrew Werwai of the UECB said the DRA
re-registered all six of the Union’s previously registered
individual churches, but expressed frustration with the
government’s decision to deny the UECB’s application for
re-registration as an umbrella Baptist organization in a meeting
on February 1. Per the
government’s April 2009 Law on Religious
Practices, all registered religious organizations were required
to submit applications for re-registration to the Ministry of
Culture’s DRA by January 1, 2010 (Reftel A). Werwai said that
he submitted the Union’s application on December 18, 2009, after
months of bureaucratic delays in dealing with the DRA. «We
started the process in June, but had our papers sent back to us
fifteen times with requests for more documents.» The DRA told
Werwai that it denied the UECB’s application because it needed
to submit documents a month in advance of the January deadline
and that another Union that existed claimed the same name.
(NOTE: There are several Tajik
Baptist organizations with
similar names. Post will seek to
clarify this point as related
to the UECB’s registration application.)
3. (SBU) Eight additional Baptist church congregations are
seeking to register, for the first time, under the UECB
umbrella. For a local
congregation to register as a religious
organization, it must submit to the DRA, in addition to many
other documents, a certificate from the local government
administrator attesting that ten church members had been
resident in the area for at least five years. Werwai said
several local officials had not provided this required
certificate. The Roghun Mayor
reportedly told the local Baptist
congregation that, because the UECB was now «illegal», their
activities too were illegal. He
refused to provide them the
local certificate until the DRA registered the UECB. The Roghun
Mayor warned the Baptists, according to Werwai, that they could
soon face the same kind of pressure that Baptists face in
Uzbekistan if they are not careful.
Most of the eight churches
had not faced similar problems, beyond the standard red tape,
and four already received the needed certificates.
4. (SBU) Government officials have not prevented any of the
UECB’s churches from worshipping.
«For now, we don’t want to
create conflict with the government.
We want to resolve it
quietly. They haven’t stopped us
from meeting as we have for 80
years. If they make any attempts
to interfere with our worship,
or take our property, then we will be in front of the media.»
Werwai asked the Embassy to intervene quietly with the DRA to
try to resolve the outstanding issues.
SYNAGOGUE: THE LAND PROBLEM THAT
WON’T GO AWAY
5. (SBU) Dushanbe’s only synagogue was not able to submit an
application for re-registration because the land is still
nominally owned by the president’s brother-in-law, Hassan
Asadullozoda, who donated the facilities to the Jewish community
after the government bulldozed their former synagogue to build
the «Palace of the Nation» (Reftel B). The Jewish community
cannot apply for DRA registration until ownership of the
synagogue is officially transferred to a Jewish community
representative. As part of the
registration process, religious
organizations must present documentation that their place of
worship is owned by a resident member of the group. Synagogue
leader Mikhail Abdurahmonov told Emboff that the government has
DUSHANBE 00000150 002.2 OF 003
not prevented the synagogue from conducting its normal
activities. A «sponsor»
from the New York Bukharan Jewish
community travels to Dushanbe in mid-February to meet with
Asadullozoda and settle the registration issue. Abdurahmonov
hoped that the synagogue would be able to register following the
visit.
DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS:
NOT OUR FAULT
6. (SBU) In a February 2 meeting with Emboff, DRA Head Idibek
Ziyoyev said his department did everything it could to register
Islamic and minority religious organizations before the January
1 deadline, completing re-registration of nearly all the
countries 3,250 Friday and «five-time» praying mosques. He
blamed the UECD for its failure to re-register, claiming that it
submitted late documents and that there were different Baptist
groups claiming the Union title.
The Baptist Union and Jewish
community would need to register as new organizations since they
missed the deadline, but the government would not interfere with
their worship or activities while they complete the process.
The eight Baptist churches seeking new registration should have
no problem getting the necessary documents from local officials.
As soon as they submitted their
applications, the DRA would
register them as religious organizations. The DRA would
register the synagogue as soon as it settled the property issue.
7. (SBU) Several additional religious organizations that had
previously been registered, including «International Wheel»
and
«Leakhona», did not submit re-registration applications.
Ziyoyev said these and several other groups no longer existed in
Tajikistan. If they wished to
register as new organizations,
they could submit the required materials at any time. Officials
have told the Jehovah’s Witnesses that since they were banned by
court order in 2008, they may not register (Reftel A).
8. (SBU) Emboff underlined the importance of religious freedom
to the USG, explained that the UECD has a different
understanding of circumstances regarding denial of its
re-registration application, and noted the Embassy’s concern
about the Roghun official’s comments to the local Baptist
community. Emboff told Ziyoyev
that the USG would appreciate
the DRA’s efforts to facilitate registration of the UECD, its
eight affiliate churches, and the synagogue as soon as possible.
Ziyoyev promised to meet with
Pastor Werwai next week to
discuss how to resolve the outstanding registration issues. He
repeated that neither the synagogue nor the Baptists would face
restrictions on their normal activities while completing the
registration process.
RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS CHIEF: TEACH US
ABOUT RELIGION!
9. (SBU) Ziyoyev raised the country’s 2009 Law on Religious
Practice and expressed confusion on why international observers
criticized its restrictions on religious activity. «Don’t
religious organizations need to register in the United States?»
Emboff explained that, among other differences, in U.S. law
there were no restrictions on quantity or type of places of
worship within a given population area or residency requirements
for church founders. Ziyoyev
explained that he was «not a
religion expert by profession» and that his staff lacked any
background in religious affairs because Tajik Universities
lacked courses in religious studies.
«It would be good to
receive some kind of training on OSCE standards governing
treatment of religious groups and how registration is conducted
in different countries.»
Ziyoyev responded enthusiastically to
a suggestion that the U.S. Embassy and the DRA organize a
seminar on religious freedom and invite legal experts and
representatives of Tajikistan’s religious communities.
NON-REGISTERED BAPTIST GROUP BANNED, BUT NOT BOTHERED FOR NOW
10. (SBU) On January 20, a Dushanbe city court upheld an October
26, 2009 court decision declaring the activities of a
non-registered Dushanbe Baptist Congregation illegal because it
refused to submit an application for registration to the DRA
DUSHANBE 00000150 003.2 OF 003
(Reftel A). Congregation leader
Andrei Chumachenko called the
Embassy on January 21 to report the decision, but said that the
congregation would continue to worship as before. As of
February 3, the government has not prevented the congregation
from conducting its normal activities.
11. COMMENT: The synagogue and
UECB are caught in a web of
post-Soviet bureaucracy, but for now the government, apart from
the Roghun Administrator, is not using the registration
procedures as a pretext to pressure the churches. Given the
culture of corruption in the Tajik government, officials may
view the synagogue’s registration difficulties as a means to
extort money from the synagogue’s donors. Further, the fact
that synagogue, or presumably any religious group, can not
register without owning property raises another restriction on
religious practice. Groups using
rented or loaned facilities
should be allowed to operate legally.
The Embassy will follow
up with the DRA, the synagogue, and the Baptist groups and
report on subsequent developments.
The DRA Chief’s admitted
lack of knowledge of religious affairs is emblematic of the
government’s overall clumsy approach to managing religious
communities, but his enthusiasm for a training session on
religious freedom is promising.
END COMMENT
GROSS
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 247185
date: 2/4/2010 11:21
refid: 10DUSHANBE156
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination: 10DUSHANBE67
header:
VZCZCXRO5936
PP RUEHDBU
DE RUEHDBU #0156/01 0351121
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P R 041121Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1211
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
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RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0161
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—————— header ends —————-
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 000156
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/4/2020
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, KPAO, KDEM, SCUL, TI
SUBJECT: MEDIA CRACKDOWN: OFFICIALS SUE NEWSPAPERS FOR MILLIONS
REF: DUSHANBE 67
CLASSIFIED BY: Necia Quast, Charge d’ Affaires, EXEC, DoS.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Tajik judges, a Ministry, and a government
agency hit five of Tajikistan’s independent newspapers with
separate lawsuits in what could be the death knell of media
freedom in the country. On
January 25, three judges sued three
newspapers for publishing a defense attorney’s statement that
high-ranking officials pressured them to convict his clients.
The judges’ lawsuits demanded total compensation of $1.2
million, which they pledged to donate to the Roghun
hydro-electric power station. On
January 26, a Dushanbe court
upheld a ruling that a newspaper was liable for $68,000 for
publishing an open letter from Tajik businessmen that criticized
the work of the country’s product certification agency,
Tajikstandart. On January 28, the
Ministry of Agriculture sued
a fifth newspaper for $229,000 after it published an article
accusing the Ministry of corruption, based on a government
report. The Embassy will
coordinate with the OSCE to express
concern to the Tajik government about the rapidly deteriorating
environment for freedom of the press.
END SUMMARY
ASIA PLUS, FARAZH, AND OZODAGON REPORT ON ISFARA CASE, GET SUED
2. (SBU) Three judges filed joint-lawsuits against weekly
independent newspapers Asia Plus, Farazh, and Ozodagon and
demanded $1.2 million in damages for publishing an article in
which defense attorney Solidjon Jurayev accused the judges of
abuse of power. Jurayev defended
a group of 31 residents of
Isfara District who were sentenced to 10 to 25 years’
imprisonment as part of the «Isfara affair», which featured
mass
arrests, seizure of property, and pressure on the judiciary from
high-level officials. The $1.2
million demand would bankrupt
the newspapers if awarded.
3. (C) The «Isfara Affair» began when security officials in
Isfara District arrested 31 associates and family members of a
wealthy Isfaran businessman, Nizom Jurayev (no relation to the
lawyer), in late 2007. Nizom
controlled multiple business in
Isfara, including several distilleries.
His holdings reportedly
attracted the attention of President Rahmon’s family, including
daughter Tahmina and brother-in-law Hassan Asadullozoda. After
Nizom refused to cut the President’s family in on his
businesses, local prosecutors raided his offices and charged the
«Isafara 31» with theft, embezzlement, membership in an
organized crime ring, and other charges.
Nizom Jurayev fled the
country. On June 9, 2009, Judge
Nur Nurov issued 10 to 25 year
sentences to the defendants. On
January 14, 2010, during a
closed court hearing to appeal the verdict, attorney Solidjon
Jurayev revealed an audio recording of a conversation he had
with Judge Nurov, in which Nurov admitted he issued the lengthy
sentences under pressure from high level officials. Jurayev
alleged that the Chair of the Supreme Court, Nursatullo
Abdullayev, summoned Nurov from Isfara to Dushanbe, where he
ordered him to issue the long sentences.
After the January 14
appeal hearing, Jurayev held a press conference and repeated his
statement from the closed court session.
4. (SBU) Asia Plus, Farazh, and Ozodagon published Solidjon
Jurayev’s comments on January 21, including his accusations
naming other judges who issued sentences based on orders from
higher level officials. Asia Plus
provided Judge Nurov an
opportunity to respond to the accusations. Nurov confirmed that
his voice was on the recording, but claimed the conversation was
taken out of context. On January
28, Asia Plus published a
follow-up article on the Isfara affair with the headline, «The
sentence was a crime,» in which the prosecutor in the 2009
Isfara case said he had never asked for such lengthy terms. The
prosecutor concurred with Jurayev that high-level officials
ordered Nurov to issue the stiff sentences.
JUDGES REQUEST DAMAGES, NEWSPAPERS FEAR SHUTDOWN
5. (SBU) On January 29, the three judges, including Nurov,
announced their lawsuits (filed on January 25) claiming moral
damages from the newspapers’ for their publication of the
Jurayev article. The judges
requested that the government close
the newspapers during the course of the trial and pledged to
donate their $1.2 million in damages, if awarded, to
DUSHANBE 00000156 002 OF 003
construction of the Roghun hydro-electric power station
(reftel). The editors of the
three newspapers were visibly
rattled in a meeting with Emboff on February 2. Asia Plus
editor Marat Mamadshoev said he was shocked at the government’s
reaction to his publication of the Jurayev article. «Jurayev
said the same thing in court, so this should have been public
domain anyway. If we can’t
publish something that is said in
court, what can we publish?»
Ozadagon editor Zafari Sugi said
he had been warned informally not to cover the Isfara case, but
thought he could cover information presented in court without
risking reprisal.
6. (SBU) All three editors viewed the lawsuit as part of a
broader effort by the government to curtail media freedom.
Mamadshoev noted, «Now, when I publish any article, will I put
myself at risk? Will I put my
staff at risk? Is it worth it?
Now, at the very least, we are going to practice more
self-censorship to protect ourselves.» Mamadshoev felt the
government was trying to prevent the newspapers from publishing
even more damaging information about the Isfara affair, claiming
that President Rahmon himself gave the order for the lengthy
sentences. «There were more
names in Jurayev’s tape… names we
didn’t publish.»
7. (C) On February 2, the newspaper editors appeared in court
and met with the three judges who had filed the suits. The
judges indicated they might drop their action if the newspapers
agreed to cease criticism of the judicial system, according to
Farazh owner/editor Khurshed Atovulloev.
The editors responded
that they might agree to cease coverage of the Isfara affair,
but could not promise to end coverage of the judicial system as
a whole. The judges could
withdraw their lawsuit if they reach
an out-of-court settlement with the newspapers before the next
court date on February 23. (NOTE:
Asia Plus and Farazh have
received multiple Embassy grants and participated in numerous
Embassy training programs. The
manager of Asia Plus is an
International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumnus. In
2009, Asia Plus hosted an Embassy-funded media trainer to help
them improve management. Farazh
is implementing a 2010
Democracy Commission grant to cover the 2010 elections. END
NOTE)
VERDICT AGAINST PAYKON FOR SLANDERING LISCENSING AGENCY
8. (SBU) On January 26, a Dushanbe court upheld an October 26,
2009, verdict that independent weekly newspaper Paykon was
liable for $68,000 in damages for slandering the state product
certification agency, Tajikstandart.
For years, Paykon had
published open letters to the government without incurring legal
action. In summer 2009, Paykon
published an open letter to the
President from Tajik businessmen criticizing corruption at
Tajikstandart. Some of the
businessmen used pseudonyms.
Tajikstandart filed suit, accusing Paykon of «defamation of
honor» and slander. Paykon’s
editor published a retraction and
an apology, but Tojikstandard did not drop the law suit. After
Paykon lost the case, it appealed on the grounds that only
individuals, not organizations, could be «defamed» under Tajik
law. In the latest court
decision, the judge concurred with
Paykon that Tojikstandard could not sue for «defamation of
honor,» but it upheld the slander charge as well as the $68,000
fine. Paykon may now appeal the
ruling to the Supreme Court
where it could face the same judges who filed suit against Asia
Plus, Farazh, and Ozodagon.
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE SUES MILLAT FOR CALLING IT CORRUPT
9. (SBU) On January 28, the Ministry of Agriculture announced
that it filed suit against weekly independent newspaper Millat
for publishing a December 10 article calling the Ministry of
Agriculture the «most corrupt organization in the government.»
The Ministry demanded damages of $229,000, despite the fact that
the newspaper published the Ministry’s response to the article.
Millat’s source for its article was a government report
presented in parliament during a budgetary session that cited
irregularities in the Ministry’s financing. Head of the
National Association of Independent Media Outlets (NANSMIT)
Nuriddin Karshiboev said government ministries are trying to
DUSHANBE 00000156 003 OF 003
protect themselves from public scrutiny and view criticism of
their activities as an attack on their power.
MEDIA NGOS, ISLAMIC RENNAISANCE PARTY SPEAK OUT AGAINST LAWSUITS
10. (SBU) Islamic Renewal Party head Muhiddin Kabiri denounced
the string of lawsuits in an interview with Asia Plus.
«Evidently, authorities decided to organize a single front
because they do not want their shortcomings to be disclosed in
public, or the public to know what is happening in state
structures.» According to
NANSMIT head Karshiboev the lawsuits
against the five newspapers «will have a very negative impact on
freedom of the press and lead to more self-censorship.»
Government officials felt they could not be criticized «because
they have no concept that they are ‘public figures’ who can be
[legitimately] criticized by the media.» NAMSIT, the Committee
to Protect Journalists, and Reporters without Borders released
statements expressing concern about the pattern of lawsuits and
deteriorating environment for media freedom. On February 5,
NANSMIT will host a public forum to discuss the lawsuits.
GOVERNMENT THINK TANK STOOGE: THE MEDIA SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
11. (SBU) On February 2, Asia Plus printed a government think
tank representative’s comments that «Tajik journalists haven’t
learned the laws of the Republic.»
Saifullo Safarov, assistant
director of the President’s Center for Strategic Studies, noted
that the «Court already punished one newspaper (Paykon), and
that should serve a big lesson for journalists. When citizens
know what is coming to them when they commit slander, they won’t
present false information.»
Journalists did not have a right to
criticize the courts, because they were not experts. «All
judicial mistakes should be reviewed by the General Prosecutor
and first-class jurists.» He
warned that journalists shouldn’t
stray into forbidden territory.
«Journalists exist between fire
and water and need to always work to find the golden middle. If
they do that, they won’t be sued or indicted for printing false
information.»
12. (SBU) COMMENT: Tajikistan once boasted arguably the most
vibrant media environment in Central Asia. Over the last year,
the government has subjected journalists, newspapers, and
independent television stations to increasing pressure, leading
journalists to increase self-censorship to avoid problems. Now,
most of the remaining independent newspapers in the country face
bankruptcy if the suits filed against them are upheld. Based on
the Paykon precedent, the legal prospects for independent
newspapers are not good. The
increasingly brazen lawsuits—
prosecuting newspapers for simply publishing public information
—will further reduce the space for public debate ahead of the
February 28 elections. Beyond the
elections, the lawsuits are
part of a broader effort by the government to consolidate power
over the press so that it can use media outlets as tools for its
propaganda efforts like the Roghun campaign. The Embassy is
working with OSCE Media donor representatives to determine the
most effective response to this trend.
END COMMENT
QUAST
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 247375
date: 2/5/2010 7:39
refid: 10DUSHANBE157
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination: 10STATE6703
header:
VZCZCXRO7213
RR RUEHLN RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0157 0360739
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050739Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1214
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2662
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 000157
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/S N CARTER-FOSTER
STATE PASS TO DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION, NHTSA:JMICHAELS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON, SOCI, UNDP, UNGA, EU, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: DEMARCHE ON
DISTRACTED DRIVING
REF: STATE 06703
1. (U) Per reftel, Embassy delivered the demarche on distracted
driving on January 29 by diplomatic note to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and provided a non-paper containing the key
issues of concern. The Ministry
did not have immediate answers
to the questions posed in the demarche.
Post will report any
substantive response septel.
QUAST
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 247855
date: 2/9/2010 3:30
refid: 10DUSHANBE165
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
destination: 09DUSHANBE1336|10DUSHANBE112
header:
VZCZCXRO9290
RR RUEHLN RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0165/01 0400330
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090330Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1222
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0425
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2674
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 000165
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIK ELECTIONS: THE CAMPAIGN THAT WASN’T
REF: A) DUSHANBE 112; B) 09 DUSHANBE 1336
DUSHANBE 00000165 001.2 OF 003
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Pro-Rahmon parties and MPs are well-positioned
to expand their dominance of the Majlisi Namoyandagon in
February 28 parliamentary elections.
Opposition parties have
waged lackluster campaigns, mostly relying on local officials to
arrange their meetings with constituents. Independent media, on
its heels after officials filed lawsuits against five newspapers
for defamation, have given limited space to the campaign. The
government has reneged on pledges to accredit non-partisan
observers and facilitate debates on national television. Few
single-mandate districts will be competitive, with at least one
race a lock for a new, pro-government «pocket party». END
SUMMARY
ODIHR: POOR FRAMEWORK FOR ELECTIONS
2. (SBU) On February 4, the OSCE’s Office of Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) briefed diplomats on its
initial assessment of Tajikistan’s parliamentary election
campaign. ODIHR Chief Artis
Pabriks said Tajikistan does not
have a solid legal framework for elections because it did not
adopt any of ODIHR’s recommendations to improve its elections
law. There is no central voter
register and election law does
not provide for officials to issue observers copies of election
results after they complete their vote counts. Pabriks said the
CCER promised to direct local polling stations to post a copy of
vote totals for public viewing.
3. (SBU) The CCER informed ODIHR it will not accredit
non-partisan local observers to monitor elections, despite CCER
Chief Boltuyev’s oral commitments to Ambassador Gross and the
OSCE (Reftel B). Pabriks welcomed
President Rahmon’s public
commitments to be «guarantor» of free elections, but noted
that
state media has covered the government’s Roghun campaign far
more than elections. Overall
media coverage of the campaign has
been «low-key.» The
CCER has not yet allotted political parties
and candidates their 30 minutes and 15 minutes of respective
airtime to address voters on national television. Independent
print media has published interviews with opposition party
leaders, but have not been able to focus on election coverage
since government officials sued five newspapers for slander in
three separate cases.
PUBLIC DOESN’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT PARTIES, BUT LIKES THE PDPT
4. (SBU) Lack of coverage of opposition political parties has
been good to the People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDPT).
A public opinion poll by the
USAID-funded International
Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) reported that nine out
of ten voters had a positive impression of the ruling party.
However, almost half said they do not have enough information to
make a wise voting decision. Nine
of ten said they heard little
or nothing about the February 28 polls.
Seven in ten are
unaware of any party’s platform.
Voters’ biggest concerns were
electricity supply and corruption, with nearly nine in ten
calling corruption a serious problem.
63% said they voted in
the 2005 parliamentary election—well below the CCER’s turnout
figure of 92.5% and above ODIHR’s estimates that the real
turnout was around 30%. (NOTE:
These statistics should be
considered with some skepticism; some Tajiks may be hesitant to
criticize the ruling party when interviewed by a pollster. END
NOTE)
PARTIES WAIT FOR LOCAL OFFICIALS TO TELL THEM WHEN TO CAMPAIGN
5. (SBU) Officials are required to release a sched
