Russia
04.09.03
Urgent Interventions

Turkmenistan: attacks, harassment and death threats against exiled Turkmen journalists

Case RUS 070803.1
Violation of personal integrity / Harassment / Death threats

Geneva, September 4th, 2003

The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information concerning the following situation in The Russian Federation.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights, a member of the OMCT network, and the Memorial Human Rights Centre of continuing attacks against Turkmen dissidents in Moscow.

According to the information received, on September 2nd 2003, a part time staff member of the Turkmen Services of Radio "Liberty," Shanazar Berdyev, was attacked in Moscow. According to the victim's father, S. Berdyev was struck on the head while entering his apartment at around 22:00. His attacker was reportedly wearing a police uniform, and afterwards slapped him and said "I don't wish to see you more," before leaving. The next day, S. Berdyev was reportedly not feeling well and sought medical assistance as a result of the injury to his head.

22-year-old S. Berdyev is the son of Turkmen dissident Muhamedgeldi Berdyev, who also works in Moscow with the Turkmen Services of Radio "Liberty." M. Berdyev began openly criticizing the Turkmen authorities on Radio "Liberty" in November 1997 after his brother Meretmuhammet Berdyev, who owned opposition magazine “Turkmen ili” in the Maryi district of Turkmenistan, was forcibly placed in mental hospital and died as a result of the treatment he received there, which, it is thought, included torture. Following this, S. Berdyev left Turkmenistan for Moscow, out of fear of being persecuted by the authorities.

According to the information received, the September 2nd, 2003 incident is not the first attack against the Berdyev family. At around 22:45 on October 23rd, 2002, in Moscow near the station “Kuzminka”, S. Berdyev was reportedly approached by two persons, who called him by his name and were speaking the Turkmen language, and tried to force him into a car – he was able to escape this attempted kidnapping. Separately, on July 29th, 2003, M. Berdyev was reportedly beaten by two attackers on the streets of Moscow.

This was after publication, on July 24th, of an anonymous article on the site "Asia Center," which contained a brief description of Turkmen opposition and the journalists, and named S. Berdyev's name, saying that he "works for Avdy Kuliev by translating gossip articles into English" and that S. Berdyev's involvement in opposition activity could hurt his life. OMCT considers that this amounts to a death threat and is therefore gravely concerned for S. Berdyev's personal integrity. M. Berdyev reports that they have not reported these incidents to the police department out of fear of reprisals.

The International Secreteriat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of both Shanazar and Muhamedgeldy Berdyev, particularly due to the death threats and attacks to which they have been subjected. OMCT calls upon the Russian authorities to guarantee their physical and psychological integrity at all times, and to launch an investigation into these attacks in order to identify the perpetrators of these acts and to bring them to justice.

Brief reminder of the situation

The attacks against members of the Berdyev family occur against a background in which other exiled opponents of the Turkmen regime have been subjected to attacks. Mr. Avdy Kuliev, a former Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan who, while in exile in Moscow, founded the United Democratic Opposition of Turkmenistan, was brutally beaten near his home on the outskirts of Moscow on the afternoon of August 6th, 2003 by a young man. Three months prior to this attack, Kuliev was publicly threatened by President Niazov who said "Everybody is sick of Kuliev, it is time to send him to another world."

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in the Russian Federation urging them to:

i. take all necessary measures to guarantee Shanazar and Muhamedgeldi Berdyev's physical and psychological integrity;
ii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them before a competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Please also write to the authorities in Turkmenistan, urging them to:

iv. take all necessary measures to guarantee Shanazar and Muhamedgeldi Berdyev's physical and psychological integrity;
v. put an immediate end to the persecution and harassment of the dissidents;

Addresses

The Russian Federation:

· Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, Kremlin, Moscow, Russia, Faxes:+ 7 095 206 8510, Email: president@gov.ru
· Procurator General of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Ustinov, Rossiyskaya Federatsiya, 103793 g. Moskva K-31, Ul. B. Dimitrovka, d 15a, Prokuratura Rossiyskoy Federatsii, Generalnomu prokuroru Ustinovu V., Russian Federation, Fax: + 7 095 292 88 48
· Chairwoman of the Presidential Human Rights Commission of the Russian Federation, Ella Pamfilova, Rossiyskaya Federatsiya, 103132 g. Moskva, Staraya ploshchad, d 8/5,pod 3,Predsedatele Komissii po pravam cheloveka pri Prezidente, Pamfilove, Elle., Russian Federation, Fax: + 7 0952064855
· Nikolai Patrushev, Director General of the Federal Security Service, Bolshaia Lubianka 1/3, Moscow, Russia, Fax: + 7 095 975 2470
· Minister of Internal Affairs, Boris Gryzlov, ul. Zhitnaya, 16, 117049 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: + 7 095 237 49 25
· Minister of Foreign Affairs, Igor Ivanov, Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl, 32/34, 121200 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: + 7 095 244 2203
· Ambassadeor Leonid Skotnikov, Av. de la Paix 15, CH-1211, Genève 20, Suisse, e-mail : mission.russian@ties.itu.int, fax: + 4122 734 40 44

Turkmenistan:

· Saparmurad Niyazov, President, Office of the President, Zdaniye Pravitel’stra, Ashkabab, Turkmenistan, Fax: + 99 312 35 51 12 / 51 17 55 / + 99 312 511 430
· Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Rashit Ovezgeldiyevich MEREDOV17/07/01, Turkmenistan; 744000 g. Ashgabat; pr. Magtymguly, 83; Ministerstvo inostrannykh del Turkmenistana; Ministru MEREDOVU R.; TURKMENISTAN, Fax: + 993 12 35 42 41

Please also write to the embassies of the Russian Federation in your respective country.

Geneva, September 4th, 2003

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.