Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08STPETERSBURG189, MEMORIAL ST. PETERSBURG RAIDED

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08STPETERSBURG189.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08STPETERSBURG189 2008-12-05 15:46 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate St Petersburg
P 051546Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2642
INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 
AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK PRIORITY 
AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG PRIORITY 
AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG PRIORITY
UNCLAS ST PETERSBURG 000189 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: RS PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: MEMORIAL ST. PETERSBURG RAIDED 
 
SENSITIVE - Not for internet or other dissemination outside the 
USG. 
 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  In a December 4 raid on the headquarters of 
Memorial, an organization dedicated to the documenting and 
exposing of communist-era human rights violations, the local St. 
Petersburg prosecutor's office confiscated documents and 
computer drives while providing thin justification for its 
actions.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (SBU) Armed and masked "investigators" arrived at Memorial's 
St. Petersburg research center at midday Thursday.  They sealed 
the office and disconnected the phone lines, though employees 
present at the time were able to use their cell phones to 
contact others before their phones were confiscated.  At 3:30, a 
local television crew arrived at the scene, but was forcefully 
ejected from the building.  Consulate staffers at the site at 
4:00 noted a small group of press and supporters.  The 
investigators remained in the office until 6:00 p.m., when they 
departed through the rear entrance in an apparent effort to 
avoid the press.  The investigators took with them eleven of 
thirteen Memorial computer hard drives, which contained the 
group's 20 years' worth of archival records of communist human 
rights violations as well as financial records.  There are no 
off-site backup copies of these files. 
 
3. (SBU)  The raid was ostensibly conducted as an investigation 
into a potential violation of hate-crime laws.  In June, 2007, 
local newspaper Novy Peterburg printed an article, "Here Comes 
the Real Candidate," written by Konstantin Chernyayev, which the 
prosecutor's office claims incited social and ethnic hatred. 
Novy Peterburg is strongly nationalistic, regularly publishing 
anti-government articles, but is not considered to be amongst 
the newspapers which are generally supportive of human rights 
organizations.  Both Memorial and Novy Peterburg deny any ties 
with each other.  With the cited article being unavailable, post 
is unable to independently confirm or deny what connection, if 
any, Memorial had with the offending article. 
 
4. (U)  Memorial St. Petersburg is among the most respected 
human rights organizations in the city, amongst both Russians 
and the international community, and has always been extremely 
scrupulous in avoiding illegal activity of any kind.  Its 
historical documents and the information in its archives are 
invaluable sources for historians and social scientists 
worldwide.  The St. Petersburg branch is not involved in the 
national Memorial initiatives related to Chechnya and the North 
Caucasus which have drawn official ire in other parts of Russia. 
 
5. (SBU)  There have been various speculative reasons mentioned 
by the press and human rights groups members with respect to the 
real reason behind the raid.  First, and most generically, the 
raid could be an attempt to generally intimidate the human 
rights and political opposition groups as they prepare for the 
upcoming Solidarnost meeting (December 6), Human Rights 
Conference (December 10), and Dissenters March (December 14) - 
all events which will challenge authorities.  Secondly, the raid 
could have been targeted specifically at Memorial member 
Aleksander Margolis.  Margolis, whose working office is located 
at the same Memorial premises, is a well-known and vocal critic 
of the local government's construction policies, which often 
involve the demolition of historical buildings.  Thirdly, the 
raid could have been conducted in retaliation for Memorial 
having recently hosted a viewing of the movie "Rebellion. 
Litvinenko's Case" - a movie which, to put it mildly, depicts 
Russian governmental authorities in an unfavorable light. 
Finally, without its financial records, Memorial will have great 
difficulty submitting its annual reports as required by the 
Russian authorities.  This will hinder Memorial's effectiveness, 
as the group will be forced to tie up a good amount of its 
resources re-creating those records to meet government 
requirements rather than continuing onwards with its researches. 
 
6. (SBU)  Post has sent a letter to the St. Petersburg Human 
Rights Ombudsman, copying the local branch of the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs and the City Committee for External Affairs, 
expressing our concern over the incident, questioning the 
rationale given for it, and looking for assurances that 
Memorial's confiscated property will be returned promptly and in 
good order. 
 
7. (SBU) COMMENT.  The prosecutor's office's citation of the 
hate-crime laws and the connection to an 18-month old article as 
justification for the raid is transparently disingenuous.  The 
most likely explanation behind the raid is a combination of some 
or all the reasons cited above.  Memorial presented a 
target-rich environment, which enabled authorities to accomplish 
many goals with just a single raid: intimidation of opposition 
groups, hindrance of independent human rights organizations' 
operations, and retaliation for presumed anti-government 
activities.  END COMMENT. 
 
Gwaltney