Corporate report

Human Rights Priority Country status report: January to June 2016

Updated 8 February 2017

This was published under the 2015 to 2016 Cameron Conservative government

The underlying human rights situation in Turkmenistan has not changed materially over the past 6 months. We continue to have significant concerns in a number of areas, particularly relating to freedom of expression and association. Turkmenistan was, for example, judged to be among the countries imposing the most restrictions on political and civil liberties in the 2016 Freedom House report. There were, however, some encouraging steps during this period, with the long-awaited adoption of a National Action Plan on Human Rights in January, and the publication of a new draft constitution in February, which included provision for an independent Ombudsman.

The UK continued to raise human rights issues with the Turkmen authorities at a high level, most recently at a meeting in London on 9 May between the then Minister for Central Asia, Tobias Ellwood, and the Turkmen Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Vepa Hajiyev.

The adoption of the National Action Plan on Human Rights for 2016-2020,designed to protect, promote and enforce human rights and freedoms in Turkmenistan, was finally approved on 15 January. At the launch in March, UK funding supporting the process of drafting the National Action Plan was acknowledged by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), which leads on work in support of the plan. UNDP, together with the UK, has encouraged the Turkmen government to focus its efforts on implementation. Final agreement on the new draft constitution is not expected until later in the year, when it is due to be presented for approval by the Council of Elders. There has been a consultation process on the constitution, to which the UN has contributed.

Both the Human Rights National Action Plan and draft constitution were discussed in May during the regular EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights dialogue in Brussels. The EU welcomed the adoption of the National Action Plan but underlined continuing concerns about many human rights issues, including lack of freedom of expression and freedom of movement. Human rights issues were also raised during the visit to Ashgabat of the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Mr Peter Burian, in March.

In June, as part of its activities to assist Turkmenistan in media development, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Centre in Ashgabat organised a journalism reporting skills course for over 30 journalists. The course aimed to enhance the capacity of local journalists to operate in a modern media landscape. However, media freedom and public access to information remain limited. Reports of the dismantling and removal of personal satellite dishes in Ashgabat continued in the January-June period, and the practice appears to have been extended around the country, restricting access to information from outside the country. Social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Youtube also continued to be blocked, combined with increasing sporadic blocking of more general access to the internet, restricting access to foreign newspapers, government websites, Skype and popular search engines. The UK and other Embassies have made representations registering their concern about this lack of access to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Every year on religious and national occasions the President pardons prisoners. In February, 1,485 prisoners were freed and a further 853 in May. An OSCE training course in March for penitentiary staff focused on raising professional standards in ethics and the treatment of prisoners and raising awareness of prisoners’ rights. Following a visit to one prison in 2015, a response is awaited to a request by the UK, like-minded embassies and multilateral organisations to visit a further prison. In June, the EU funded a training seminar for judges in Ashgabat on international human rights obligations and national courts.

Turkmenistan was downgraded to Tier 3 (the lowest ranking) in the 2016 US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report on the basis that it did not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking or demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period. However the report acknowledges increased government efforts to prevent human trafficking and, in May, the President approved a 2016-2018 National Action Plan to fight human trafficking. A 2016-17 action plan for the implementation of International Humanitarian Law is also under preparation, and is planned to involve close cooperation with the UN and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

In June, the OSCE Centre organised a seminar for legislators, law enforcement officials and researchers to discuss best practice in implementing international standards on freedom of religion or belief and to raise public awareness of freedom of religion. Meanwhile, according to reports by NGOs, Jehovah’s Witnesses remain persecuted for their conscientious objection to military service. No civilian alternative is available. One Jehovah’s Witness is still in prison where it is alleged he has suffered torture. Turkmenistan remains a “country of particular concern” for the US in terms of religious freedoms.

The Representative of UN Women in Central Asia, Ms Elaine Conkievich, visited Ashgabat in May and discussed the empowerment of women and promotion of gender equality. A delegation from Turkmenistan also participated in the UN Commission on the Status of Women meeting in New York in March.

A new 2016-20 Country Programme Action Plan was signed in March with the UN International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to advance the wellbeing of women and children in the country. In line with the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the programme aims to align the Turkmen legal framework, policy and practice with international standards.