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RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0501/01 1131109
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221109Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000501 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL, SCA/PPD, IIP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KPAO TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN: RFE/RL REPORTER'S FAMILY 
OUTMANEUVERS AUTHORITIES TO CELEBRATE WEDDING 
 
REF: ASHGABAT 00490 
 
¶1.  (U)  Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  RFE/RL reporter Gulychdurdiyev's son was 
finally married on April 21, but not before the family 
engaged in some creative maneuvering to outsmart authorities 
bent on ruining the wedding.  Despite officials' meddling, 
the family still succeeded in gathering and celebrating.  The 
whole affair, however, underscores the desire of MNB 
officials to put enough pressure on the reporter's family so 
that they will demand he stop his work.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Following their success in getting one restaurant 
manager to back out of plans to host the wedding of RFE/RL 
reporter Halmurat Gulychdurdiyev's son (reftel), Ministry of 
National Security (MNB) authorities on April 21 dissuaded a 
second restaurant manager from hosting the event, and the 
family, already under a great deal of stress, again had to 
find another venue willing to host them.  At this point, the 
family decided to be more creative to prevent authorities 
from unraveling their celebration plans once again. 
 
A WEDDING TAKES ON CLOAK-AND-DAGGER OVERTONES 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Gulychdurdiyev called all the invitees and told 
them the wedding would be held at his apartment on the east 
side of town.  Family and friends gathered there, and the 
bride and groom were also present.  Several vehicles, 
decorated in bright bunting and other wedding regalia, then 
took off in different directions, in hopes of confusing 
authorities who appeared to be committed to ruining the 
celebration.  The bulk of the invitees then got in their cars 
and followed Gulychdurdiyev's car to an "undisclosed 
restaurant location," where the couple later re-appeared and 
were married. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  An hour and a half into the festivities, the 
electricity suddenly cut off, throwing the restaurant into 
darkness and silencing the musical ensemble.  Throughout the 
course of the remainder of the evening, the electricity went 
on and off several times.  Almost all the more than 100 
people at the wedding stayed to the end, and did not appear 
to be fearful that law enforcement might come and break up 
the event. 
 
GULYCHDURDIYEV ON EDGE 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Gulychdurdiyev expressed anger and frustration 
over the authorities' continued interference with his family. 
 He marveled at the level of effort they put into ruining his 
son's wedding, as if "he were planning a coup."  He lamented 
the need to organize the wedding so secretively, and it was 
apparent that the stress of the interference in the family's 
planning and of the wedding's potential cancellation had many 
on edge. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  When the lights went out the first time, guests 
hesitated only for a moment before running for candles and 
flashlights, and the drummer from the band began to play 
again.  People resumed dancing after a few minutes, which 
Gulychdurdiyev pointed out.  "This is what a Turkmen protest 
looks like", he said.  "What these people do to my family, 
because of their hatred of me, is simply inhuman."  Friends 
voiced their agreement, saying that no matter what a conflict 
is about, it is totally inappropriate to interfere with a 
person's family. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  Authorities appear focused on putting as 
much stress as possible on Gulychdurdiyev's family to 
discourage him from continuing his work for RFE/RL.  They 
also seem to be deeply concerned about the effect of his 
radio reports on the economic environment inside 
Turkmenistan, no doubt because inflation and economic 
 
ASHGABAT 00000501  002 OF 002 
 
 
uncertainty are fueling a certain degree of discontent.  It 
is clear, however, that such interference has only hardened 
Gulychdurdiyev's resolve to stand up to the authorities. 
Nevertheless, Gulychdurdiyev's family is paying a price for 
his stance.  END COMMENT. 
HOAGLAND