Turkmenistan

Although arrested in 2020 for sharing a photo, journalist Nurgeldi Halykov was convicted on trumped-up fraud charges and sentenced to four years in prison.

The authorities in several Central Asian states have warned news outlets to tone down their coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, or ignore it entirely.

“Turkmenistan has long been a closed country for independent human rights scrutiny. The pattern of persecution of relatives of activists who live abroad shows the lengths to which its government will go to keep the world from knowing the scale of the human rights violations there.”

When President Berdimuhamedov succeeded Saparmurad Niyazov in 2007, he tried to portray himself as a reformer committed to modernising his country but human rights are still being trampled underfoot ten years later.

A Turkmenistan alternative radio correspondent experienced harrowing harassment by police and unidentified attackers over grocery store lineup pictures.

Three of Chary Annamuradov’s brothers died under very suspicious circumstances within a year after he left the country in 1999. Altymurad Annamuradov, a father-of-five, was his last living brother.

Turkmen authorities dropped a 13-year travel ban against three family members of an exiled dissident, Pirkuli Tanrykuliev, allowing them to leave the country on June 4, 2016, a coalition of human rights groups said.

“Given the Turkmen government’s attitude towards independent news media, it is clear that his imprisonment is linked to his journalistic activities. We urge the authorities to end the secrecy surrounding his current status and to release him without delay.”

Residents are being forced to dismantle privately owned satellite dishes, further isolating people in Turkmenistan.

It is not the first time Turkmen authorities have targeted Farid Tukhbatullin’s family and friends to pressure him to stop his human rights work. In 2010, authorities began questioning former classmates and teachers of Tukhbatullin’s sons, who also live in exile.

Rovshen Yazmuhamedov, a correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was arrested on 6 May for unreported reasons. The journalist had been questioned by the authorities at least twice earlier in 2013 after his articles generated active online reader response.

United Nations member countries gathering at the Human Rights Council in Geneva under the Universal Periodic Review procedure should seize the opportunity to expose and denounce the ongoing repression in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and press for concrete steps to end abuses.

The government of Turkmenistan threatens, harasses, and arrests people who question its policies. Political prisoners languish in its prisons, and the rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly, movement, and religion are subject to draconian restrictions.

The government of Turkmenistan threatens, harasses, and arrests people who question its policies. Political prisoners languish in its prisons, and the rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly, movement, and religion are subject to draconian restrictions.