Turkmen authorities continue to use national traditions as a pretext to discriminate against women, girls, and LGBTQ+ individuals, according to Amnesty International’s annual report on human rights. This report highlights the Turkmen government’s long-standing campaign to suppress any criticism, both domestically and internationally.

Amnesty International’s review of 155 countries presents a grim picture of human rights abuses worldwide. Secretary General Agnès Callamard emphasized the widespread repression and human rights violations.

In Turkmenistan, the report highlights arbitrary restrictions on the rights, freedoms, and physical autonomy of women, girls, and LGBTQ+ individuals, all under the guise of preserving “national culture.” In June, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women expressed grave concern about the ongoing patriarchal attitudes towards gender-based violence. The committee noted that women and girls are forced to adhere to gender stereotypes and that their fundamental freedoms are restricted to “preserve culture and the nation,” including through imposed dress codes and other discriminatory practices.

Turkmen authorities deny the existence of discrimination against women, attributing specific incidents of blatant arbitrariness to “national traditions,” contradicting the country’s international human rights commitments. Amnesty International also points to discrimination against sexual minorities, with the UN Human Rights Committee in April criticizing the government’s failure to decriminalize consensual same-sex relationships. Reports of police brutality based on sexual orientation and gender identity, creating an environment of fear that prevents LGBTQ+ individuals from reporting abuses, were also noted.

Other human rights issues in Turkmenistan include government control over internet access, lack of effective climate change measures, forced labor in cotton production, and suppression of public criticism and peaceful dissent, including persecution of activists and their families.

Turkmenistan’s continued use of national traditions to justify severe human rights abuses reflects a systematic effort to maintain control and silence dissent. The lack of freedom of speech and expression severely undermines the basic rights of its citizens.

Ayna Matiyeva

26/04/2024