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DE RUEHAH #0794/01 1751151
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P 241151Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000794 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  MILITARY CADETS ARRESTED 
FOR MAKING FAKE BUS PASSES 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public 
Internet. 
 
¶2.  (U) SUMMARY: Two senior cadets of the Military 
Institute were arrested on June 14 for making and 
distributing counterfeit bus passes.  The Deputy 
Defense Minister promised to prosecute all those who 
were involved.  The cadets, dismissed from the 
institute, could be jailed for up to two years.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) As was learned by an Embassy Locally Employed 
Staff (LES) member, whose sister works at the Military Hospital, 
on Sunday, June 14 at 4:00 a.m., officers of the Internal 
Counter-Intelligence Unit (ICIU) of the Ministry of 
Defense arrived at the barracks of the Military Institute, 
handcuffed two senior cadets, and escorted them out.  The 
cadets, who would have graduated and become lieutenants in 
a week, were prosecuted for making and distributing 
counterfeit monthly bus passes.  Reportedly, the 
cadets were carrying out their illegal activities 
within the Military Institute's premises, using the 
Institute's equipment (computers, scanners, printers), 
which was the reason that the ICIU was involved in the 
arrests. 
 
¶4.  (U) The official monthly bus pass is five 
centimeter by five centimeter paper card, with no 
security features (like watermarks or holographic 
labels), printed on regular paper.  It allows 
unlimited travel on public buses and trolley buses 
during one calendar month.  Every month it is issued 
using a different color.  Passengers simply show their 
monthly passes to the bus driver when exiting the bus. 
There is no system of registering or scanning the 
passes.  Furthermore, since the passes change color 
each month, the bus drivers never check the individual 
pass closely to verify its validity, only glancing 
at its color.  The public can obtain monthly bus 
passes at any bus stop kiosk or from bus/trolleybus 
drivers.  The fixed price for the monthly bus pass is 
8 manats ($2.80).  Reportedly, the cadets were selling 
their fake passes for 5 manats.  The passes were sold 
to fellow cadets as well as to the people outside the 
Institute.  The LES was told by her neighbor that she 
used to regularly obtain a monthly bus pass for 6 manats 
from her "acquaintances."  Apparently some people acted 
as brokers for the counterfeit passes, buying multiple 
bus passes from the cadets and re-selling them for a 
modest profit, while still undercutting the official price. 
 
¶5.  (U) According to a Senior Lieutenant in the 
military, a graduate of the same Military Institute 
where the scandal took place, Deputy Minister of 
Defense, General Major Muhammedguly Atabayev held a 
meeting in the afternoon of the same day the cadets 
were arrested and spoke about the incident. 
Addressing the cadets and teachers of the Institute, 
Atabayev said, "I don't know their [the arrested 
cadets] future, but the investigation is under way and 
if any of others of you were also involved, be sure 
that we will get you."  Reportedly, the order to 
dismiss the arrested cadets from the Institute was 
issued on the same Sunday.  (NOTE:  Sunday is a non- 
working day in Turkmenistan.) 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT:  According to the Criminal Code, 
the forgery, production and sale of official 
documents, stamps, and seals is punishable by 
correctional labor for up to two years or 
imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years. 
 
ASHGABAT 00000794  002 OF 002 
 
 
The case will be passed to the Prosecutor General's 
Office as the ICIU does not prosecute cases, but 
as the interviewed Senior Lieutenant said "Military 
officers are always convicted with the maximum 
punishment.  Most likely some other charges will 
be added to them as well."  The Lieutenant added 
that in addition to the counterfeiting offense, 
charges related to "things that they have not done" 
will likely be pressed in order to justify a more 
severe sentence.  He noted that "that's how it 
usually happens here."  END COMMENT. 
 
MILES