On October 28, 2024, activists gathered in Washington, D.C., to protest outside the embassies of Turkmenistan and Turkey, condemning both governments for their reported repression of Turkmen opposition figures. Holding portraits and banners, the demonstrators highlighted cases of activists forcibly deported from Turkey to Turkmenistan, where they face risks of imprisonment, torture, and, in some cases, disappearance.By aiding in the forced repatriation of these individuals, Turkey not only fails in its own human rights commitments but actively enables the reach of Turkmenistan’s authoritarian control far beyond its borders. It’s imperative that the international community takes a stand against this pattern, as it places vulnerable activists at enormous risk.

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The demonstration, strategically placed between Turkmenistan’s former Independence Day and Turkey’s national day, brought attention to the troubling partnership between the two countries on political deportations. During the event, a political analyst underscored the importance of international asylum protections, criticizing Turkey’s actions as undermining human rights obligations. Such actions, in my view, represent a serious breach of Turkey’s human rights obligations, especially when political dissidents and activists are returned to face imprisonment, torture, or worse. It’s crucial that the international community recognizes and responds to this pattern, as it endangers the lives of individuals who have sought refuge and amplifies the reach of authoritarian repression beyond borders.

Source: Turkmen.news

Editor: Ayna Matiyeva