Human rights in Turkmenistan
Encyclopedia
Turkmenistan
's human rights record has been heavily criticized by various countries and scholars worldwide. Standards in education and health declined markedly during the rule of President Saparmurat Niyazov
.
Since December 2006, under the Government of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow no significant improvements regarding human rights and civil liberty have been observed by international human rights organizations.
. Many of those fleeing "in panic" reportedly feared being trapped in a state which has been widely criticised for human rights abuses and has imposed severe restrictions on foreign travel for its citizens. Those without Russian passport
s may be forced to become Turkmens
, and fear that they may never be able to return to Russia.
For these who remained, estimated at around 100,000, all Soviet-time diplomas, certificates and other official documents that were issued outside the Turkmen SSR
were nullified, drastically limiting the people's access to work. At the same time, universities have been encouraged to reject applicants with non-Turkmen surnames, especially ethnic Russians. Russian television is difficult to receive in Turkmenistan, the Russian-language radio station Mayak
was taken off the air and the Russian newspapers were banned earlier.
It is forbidden to teach the customs and language of the Baloch
, an ethnic minority. The same happens to Uzbeks, their language used to be taught in some national schools.
banned playing of video games, listening to car radios, performing opera
and ballet
, smoking
in public, long hair on men, and even growing facial hair
. It has been speculated that the latter ban was enacted to enforce conformity of appearance. Niyazov ordered the closure of all libraries outside the capital of Ashgabat in the belief that all Turkmen are illiterate. News anchors, both men and women, were prevented from wearing any sort of makeup after Niyazov discovered he was unable to tell the difference between them when the presenters wore it.
In 2008, the bans of circuses and operas were reversed, but the current leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow banned the importation of cars and trucks produced before 2000.
is guaranteed by article 11 of the Constitution of Turkmenistan
. However, like other human rights, in practice it does not exist. Former President Saparmurat Niyazov
's book of spiritual writings, the Ruhnama
, is imposed on all religious communities. According to Forum 18
, despite international pressure, the authorities severely repress all religious groups, and the legal framework is so constrictive that many prefer to exist underground rather than have to pass through all of the official hurdles. Protestant Christian
adherents are affected, in addition to groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses
, Bahá'í
, and Hare Krishna
. Jehovah's Witnesses have been imprisoned and suffered beatings due to being conscientious objectors.
The U.S. Department of State’s 2005 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom (released November 8, 2005) indicates persistent restrictions on religious freedoms in Turkmenistan, while categorizing it among countries that had made "significant improvements in the promotion of religious freedom." U.S. Representative
Chris Smith stated, however, "The reforms that were instituted by the Niyazov regime over the past year did not go far enough, and even the report itself states that serious violations of religious freedom continue." U.S. Senator
Sam Brownback
noted, "Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
have clearly received more credit than the facts would warrant." The U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir
, appealed to the government of Turkmenistan in June 2003 and again in 2005 for an invitation to visit the country, but received no response.
According to Reporters Without Borders
' 2006 World Press Freedom Index, Turkmenistan had the 3rd worst press freedom conditions in the world, behind North Korea
and Burma. It is considered to be one of the "10 Most Censored Countries". Each broadcast under Niyazov began with a pledge that the broadcaster's tongue will shrivel if he slanders the country, flag, or president. While he was president, Niyazov controlled all Turkmen media outlets and personally appointed journalists. Controversy surrounds the death of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Ogulsapar Myradowa, who was apparently tortured to death in September 2006 while in state detention.
It has been reported that journalists have been harassed by the government; some of them have been kept in prison and prosecuted with false accusations and unfair trials. Activist Sazak Durdymuradov was detained in 2005 for collaborating with a French TV channel for a report on Turkmenistan. He was sentenced to 8 years in jail under the accusation of “illegal acquisition, possession or sale of ammunition or firearms”. Amnesty International
considers the accusations to be forged.
In 2006, Turkmen Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
activists Annakurban Amanklychev
and Sapardurdy Khadzhiev
were arrested by Turkmenistani security forces on espionage charges, later changed to illegal firearm charges. Amnesty International
considers them prisoners of conscience
and named them a 2011 "priority case." Front Line
, Reporters Without Borders
, and Human Rights Watch
have all described the charges as fabricated. On 11 December 2010, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
also called for their immediate release, stating that their detention was a violation of international law.
The freelance journalists collaborating with international media are being closely watched by the state's security departments. Correspondents for Radio Free Europe
are under constant harassment and risk their life and liberty. On April 18, 2008 Free lancer journalist Sona Chuli Kuli was interrogated for several days under physiological pressure and forced to sign a statement agreeing not to collaborate with the international media.
Turkmenistan ranks among the most repressive and closed societies in the world. The Internet is heavily regulated and available only to a small fraction of the population. Censorship is ubiquitous and extensive. Surveillance is significant, and the few citizens who benefit from access to the Internet are closely monitored by state agencies. Self-censorship is common.
Internet usage in Turkmenistan is under tight control by the government and websites run by human rights organizations and news agencies are blocked. Moreover, ordinary citizens have no access to the World Wide Web, and instead are limited to the use of the Turkmenet, an online community in Turkmen language, but effectively a censored version of the internet. Social networks such as Facebook
, YouTube
and Twitter
are not accessible through the Turkmenet. Attempts to get around this censorship can lead to grave consequences.
Internet censorship in Turkmenistan was classified as pervasive in the political area and as selective in the social, conflict/security, and Internet tools areas by the OpenNet Initiative
in December 2010. Turkmenistan was listed as an Internet enemy by Reporters Without Borders
in 2011.
. They are not granted any access by the International Red Cross, OSCE, ar any medical institutions. There are several rumours of their deaths, but these cannot be confirmed, and most of their whereabouts are unknown.
In 2009, Muhammertguly Aýmyradow was freed after he completed his sentence.
Gulgeldy Annaniyazov an opposition leader to Niazov's government, was arrested in 1995 and released in 1999 after a presidential amnesty decree. He moved to Norway to live with a refugee status. Back in Turkmenistan he was arrested in June 2008 and sentenced after a closed-door trial to 11 years in jail. The accusations are still unknown. Similarly, Ovezgeldy Ataev former Speaker of Parliament and Akmurad Redzhepov, former head of the State Security Council had closed-door trials and remains in prison. Amnesty International
suspects that the reason for the imprisonments lies in the fact that both were potential political rivals of the current President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.
Andrey Zatoka, environmentalist and activist, citizen of Turkmenistan and Russia was arrested on false charges for 46 days from December 2006 to January 2007. Due to international pressure Andrey was released and the sentence was canceled. In June 2008, Andrey wrote a statement reporting that his and his friends' liberty could be in danger. He was being monitored and followed by the Turkmen Authorities. On October 20, 2009, Andrey was arrested for the second time and sentenced to 5 years in prison for assault. In November 2009, after international pressure from environmental and human rights organisations and Russian authorities, Zatoka was released upon payment of a fine, relinquishing his Turkmen citizenship and immediate emigration from Turkmenistan.
The Social Institutions and Gender Index
highlights the absence of current gender statistics, which prevents a more precise assessment of the situation of Turkmenistani women.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
's human rights record has been heavily criticized by various countries and scholars worldwide. Standards in education and health declined markedly during the rule of President Saparmurat Niyazov
Saparmurat Niyazov
Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov; , was a Turkmen politician who served as President of Turkmenistan from 2 November 1990 until his death in 2006...
.
Since December 2006, under the Government of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow no significant improvements regarding human rights and civil liberty have been observed by international human rights organizations.
Discrimination against ethnic minorities
The Turkmen government's decision to cancel a dual-citizenship agreement with Russia in 2003 prompted thousands of ethnic Russians to leave Turkmenistan as they lost their propertyProperty
Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...
. Many of those fleeing "in panic" reportedly feared being trapped in a state which has been widely criticised for human rights abuses and has imposed severe restrictions on foreign travel for its citizens. Those without Russian passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
s may be forced to become Turkmens
Turkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
, and fear that they may never be able to return to Russia.
For these who remained, estimated at around 100,000, all Soviet-time diplomas, certificates and other official documents that were issued outside the Turkmen SSR
Turkmen SSR
The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Turkmen SSR for short, was one of republics of the Soviet Union in Central Asia. It was initially established on 7 August 1921 as the Turkmen Oblast of the Turkestan ASSR. On 13 May 1925 it was transformed into Turkmen SSR and became a...
were nullified, drastically limiting the people's access to work. At the same time, universities have been encouraged to reject applicants with non-Turkmen surnames, especially ethnic Russians. Russian television is difficult to receive in Turkmenistan, the Russian-language radio station Mayak
Mayak
Mayak Production Association refers to an industrial complex that is one of the biggest nuclear facilities in the Russian Federation. It housed plutonium production reactors and a reprocessing plant...
was taken off the air and the Russian newspapers were banned earlier.
It is forbidden to teach the customs and language of the Baloch
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
, an ethnic minority. The same happens to Uzbeks, their language used to be taught in some national schools.
Notable bans
Former Turkmenbashi Saparmurat NiyazovSaparmurat Niyazov
Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov; , was a Turkmen politician who served as President of Turkmenistan from 2 November 1990 until his death in 2006...
banned playing of video games, listening to car radios, performing opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, smoking
Tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
in public, long hair on men, and even growing facial hair
Facial hair
Facial hair is a secondary sex characteristic of human males. Men often start developing facial hair in the later years of puberty or adolescence, approximately between 17–20 years of age, and most do not finish developing a fully adult beard until their early 20s or even later...
. It has been speculated that the latter ban was enacted to enforce conformity of appearance. Niyazov ordered the closure of all libraries outside the capital of Ashgabat in the belief that all Turkmen are illiterate. News anchors, both men and women, were prevented from wearing any sort of makeup after Niyazov discovered he was unable to tell the difference between them when the presenters wore it.
In 2008, the bans of circuses and operas were reversed, but the current leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow banned the importation of cars and trucks produced before 2000.
Freedom of religion
Freedom of religionFreedom of religion
Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any...
is guaranteed by article 11 of the Constitution of Turkmenistan
Constitution of Turkmenistan
The Constitution of Turkmenistan adopted on 18 May 1992 is the supreme law of Turkmenistan . In its preamble, the Constitution emphasizes self-determination for the Turkmen people, as well as the rule of law and rights for citizens. .The 1992 constitution was amended in 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2006...
. However, like other human rights, in practice it does not exist. Former President Saparmurat Niyazov
Saparmurat Niyazov
Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov; , was a Turkmen politician who served as President of Turkmenistan from 2 November 1990 until his death in 2006...
's book of spiritual writings, the Ruhnama
Ruhnama
Ruhnama , is a book written by Saparmurat Niyazov, late President for Life of Turkmenistan, combining spiritual/moral guidance, autobiography and revisionist history, much of it is of dubious or disputed factuality and accuracy. The text includes many stories and poems, including those by Sufi poet...
, is imposed on all religious communities. According to Forum 18
Forum 18
Forum 18 is a Norwegian human rights organization that promotes religious freedom. The organization's name is based on Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights...
, despite international pressure, the authorities severely repress all religious groups, and the legal framework is so constrictive that many prefer to exist underground rather than have to pass through all of the official hurdles. Protestant Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
adherents are affected, in addition to groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
, Bahá'í
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
, and Hare Krishna
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
. Jehovah's Witnesses have been imprisoned and suffered beatings due to being conscientious objectors.
The U.S. Department of State’s 2005 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom (released November 8, 2005) indicates persistent restrictions on religious freedoms in Turkmenistan, while categorizing it among countries that had made "significant improvements in the promotion of religious freedom." U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Chris Smith stated, however, "The reforms that were instituted by the Niyazov regime over the past year did not go far enough, and even the report itself states that serious violations of religious freedom continue." U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Sam Brownback
Sam Brownback
Samuel Dale "Sam" Brownback is the 46th and current Governor of Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Kansas from 1996 to 2011, and as a U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district from 1995 to 1996...
noted, "Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
Human rights in Uzbekistan
The state of human rights in Uzbekistan has faced heavy criticism for the arbitrary arrests, religious persecution, and torture employed by the government on a regional and national level.-Overview:The U.S...
have clearly received more credit than the facts would warrant." The U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir
Asma Jahangir
Asma Jilani Jahangir is a leading Pakistani lawyer, advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, President Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan and human rights activist, who works both in Pakistan and internationally to prevent the persecution of religious minorities, women, and exploitation...
, appealed to the government of Turkmenistan in June 2003 and again in 2005 for an invitation to visit the country, but received no response.
Freedom of expression
All mass media in Turkmenistan is controlled by the State. In July 2010 President Berdimuhamedow announced plans to allow private newspapers in the country. Once launched, they will focus on successful business stories.According to Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
' 2006 World Press Freedom Index, Turkmenistan had the 3rd worst press freedom conditions in the world, behind North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and Burma. It is considered to be one of the "10 Most Censored Countries". Each broadcast under Niyazov began with a pledge that the broadcaster's tongue will shrivel if he slanders the country, flag, or president. While he was president, Niyazov controlled all Turkmen media outlets and personally appointed journalists. Controversy surrounds the death of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Ogulsapar Myradowa, who was apparently tortured to death in September 2006 while in state detention.
It has been reported that journalists have been harassed by the government; some of them have been kept in prison and prosecuted with false accusations and unfair trials. Activist Sazak Durdymuradov was detained in 2005 for collaborating with a French TV channel for a report on Turkmenistan. He was sentenced to 8 years in jail under the accusation of “illegal acquisition, possession or sale of ammunition or firearms”. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
considers the accusations to be forged.
In 2006, Turkmen Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
Turkmen Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
The Turkmen Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights is a non-governmental organization, based in Bulgaria, for the promotion of human rights in Turkmenistan...
activists Annakurban Amanklychev
Annakurban Amanklychev
Annakurban Amanklychev is a Turkmenistani human rights activist currently serving a prison sentence in Turkmenbashi. Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience and named him a 2011 "priority case".-Arrest and trial:...
and Sapardurdy Khadzhiev
Sapardurdy Khadzhiev
Sapardurdy Khadzhiev is a Turkmenistani human rights activist currently serving a prison sentence in Turkmenbashi. Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience and named him a 2011 "priority case".-Arrest and trial:...
were arrested by Turkmenistani security forces on espionage charges, later changed to illegal firearm charges. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
considers them prisoners of conscience
Prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
and named them a 2011 "priority case." Front Line
Front Line (NGO)
Front Line or The International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders is an Irish-based human rights organisation founded in Dublin, Ireland in 2001 to protect human rights defenders at risk, i.e...
, Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
, and Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
have all described the charges as fabricated. On 11 December 2010, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is a UN-mandated body of independent human rights experts that investigates cases of arbitrary arrest and detention that may be in violation of international human rights law....
also called for their immediate release, stating that their detention was a violation of international law.
The freelance journalists collaborating with international media are being closely watched by the state's security departments. Correspondents for Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a broadcaster funded by the U.S. Congress that provides news, information, and analysis to countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East "where the free flow of information is either banned by government authorities or not fully developed"...
are under constant harassment and risk their life and liberty. On April 18, 2008 Free lancer journalist Sona Chuli Kuli was interrogated for several days under physiological pressure and forced to sign a statement agreeing not to collaborate with the international media.
Internet
Individual access to the internet was first authorized in 2008 and access to the internet has increased in the following years.Turkmenistan ranks among the most repressive and closed societies in the world. The Internet is heavily regulated and available only to a small fraction of the population. Censorship is ubiquitous and extensive. Surveillance is significant, and the few citizens who benefit from access to the Internet are closely monitored by state agencies. Self-censorship is common.
Internet usage in Turkmenistan is under tight control by the government and websites run by human rights organizations and news agencies are blocked. Moreover, ordinary citizens have no access to the World Wide Web, and instead are limited to the use of the Turkmenet, an online community in Turkmen language, but effectively a censored version of the internet. Social networks such as Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
are not accessible through the Turkmenet. Attempts to get around this censorship can lead to grave consequences.
Internet censorship in Turkmenistan was classified as pervasive in the political area and as selective in the social, conflict/security, and Internet tools areas by the OpenNet Initiative
OpenNet Initiative
The OpenNet Initiative is a joint project whose goal is to monitor and report on internet filtering and surveillance practices by nations. The project employs a number of technical means, as well as an international network of investigators, to determine the extent and nature of government-run...
in December 2010. Turkmenistan was listed as an Internet enemy by Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
in 2011.
Political freedom
Any opposition to the government is considered treason and punishable by life imprisonment. Turkmenistan has many political prisoners, the most well-known of whom are Batyr Berdiýew, Ýazgeldi Gündogdyýew, and Boris ŞyhmyradowBoris Syhmyradow
Boris Orazowiç Şyhmyradow was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan from 1995 to 2000. He is currently serving a life sentence in prison after he was convicted of participation in a plot against Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov in 2002.Şyhmyradow was born in Ashgabat to an Armenian...
. They are not granted any access by the International Red Cross, OSCE, ar any medical institutions. There are several rumours of their deaths, but these cannot be confirmed, and most of their whereabouts are unknown.
In 2009, Muhammertguly Aýmyradow was freed after he completed his sentence.
Gulgeldy Annaniyazov an opposition leader to Niazov's government, was arrested in 1995 and released in 1999 after a presidential amnesty decree. He moved to Norway to live with a refugee status. Back in Turkmenistan he was arrested in June 2008 and sentenced after a closed-door trial to 11 years in jail. The accusations are still unknown. Similarly, Ovezgeldy Ataev former Speaker of Parliament and Akmurad Redzhepov, former head of the State Security Council had closed-door trials and remains in prison. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
suspects that the reason for the imprisonments lies in the fact that both were potential political rivals of the current President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.
Andrey Zatoka, environmentalist and activist, citizen of Turkmenistan and Russia was arrested on false charges for 46 days from December 2006 to January 2007. Due to international pressure Andrey was released and the sentence was canceled. In June 2008, Andrey wrote a statement reporting that his and his friends' liberty could be in danger. He was being monitored and followed by the Turkmen Authorities. On October 20, 2009, Andrey was arrested for the second time and sentenced to 5 years in prison for assault. In November 2009, after international pressure from environmental and human rights organisations and Russian authorities, Zatoka was released upon payment of a fine, relinquishing his Turkmen citizenship and immediate emigration from Turkmenistan.
Police brutality
Arbitrary arrests and mistreatment of detained persons are common in Turkmenistan, as is torture to obtain confessions. In 2004, border guards shot and killed six people who were allegedly illegally crossing the border from Iran. There are reports of prisoners dying after having food and medical care withheld. Ogulsapar Myradowa, a journalist and human rights activist, died violently in prison in September 2006.Women's rights
Under the laws of Turkmenistan, domestic violence and prostitution are illegal, though enforcement is scant. However, laws prohibiting rape and guaranteeing women the same marriage and inheritance rights as men are generally respected.The Social Institutions and Gender Index
Social Institutions and Gender Index
The Social Institutions and Gender Index is a composite indicator of gender equality, introduced by the OECD Development Centre. It solely focuses on social institutions that have an impact on the equality between men and women...
highlights the absence of current gender statistics, which prevents a more precise assessment of the situation of Turkmenistani women.
See also
- Capital punishment in TurkmenistanCapital punishment in TurkmenistanCapital punishment in Turkmenistan was originally allowed by Article 20 of the 1992 Constitution, where it was described as "an exceptional punishment for the heaviest of crimes"...
- Central Asia Health Review
- Human rights in AsiaHuman rights in AsiaHuman rights in Asia primarily rely on the protection and championing by States, non-governmental organizations, and individuals. Unlike Europe, Africa, and the Americas, Asia does not have an intergovernmental convention on human rights. In Asia, human rights are given much importance specially to...
- Freedom of religion in TurkmenistanFreedom of religion in TurkmenistanThe Constitution provides for freedom of religion and does not establish a state religion; however, in practice the Government continued to restrict all forms of religious expression. All groups must register in order to gain legal status; unregistered religious activity is illegal and may be...
- Human trafficking in TurkmenistanHuman trafficking in TurkmenistanTurkmenistan is a source country for women subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically forced prostitution and for men in forced labor. Women from Turkmenistan are subjected to forced prostitution in Turkey...
- LGBT rights in TurkmenistanLGBT rights in TurkmenistanMale homosexuality is illegal in Turkmenistan and is punished by imprisonment for the term of up to two years.Criminal Code of 1997 Article 135. Sodomy...
External links
- “Chronicles of Turkmenistan”, publication of the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights
- The Republican Party of Turkmenistan (in exile)
- Censorship in Turkmenistan - IFEXInternational Freedom of Expression ExchangeThe International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....
- Reporters Without Borders
- Turkmenistan Project
- U.S. State Department 2009 Report on Human Rights in Turkmenistan
- Forum 18 religious freedom survey/analysis of religious freedom in Turkmenistan
- Human Rights In Turkmenistan (VOAVoice of AmericaVoice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
) 25 October 2005 - The Turkmenistan Project - weekly news and analysis in English and Russian
- Amnesty International annual report - Amnesty International report on Turkmenistan from 2004
- Turkmenistan: Beard Ban Angers Students
- Review of Turkmenistan by the United Nations Human Rights CouncilUnited Nations Human Rights CouncilThe United Nations Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations System. The UNHRC is the successor to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights , and is a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly...
's Universal Periodic Review, December 9, 2008 - Internet Enemies: Turkmenistan, Reporters Without BordersReporters Without BordersReporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...