A human rights dialogue between Ashgabat and Brussels has failed to clarify why journalist Rovshen Yazmuhamedov was detained two weeks ago.
Yazmuhamedov, 30, a correspondent with Radio Free Europe’s Turkmen Service (Azatlyk Radiosy) was detained May 6 on undisclosed charges. He remains in custody where he faces a "grave risk of torture," according to Amnesty International.
Ahead of the Turkmen-EU talks last week, Human Rights Watch called on Ashgabat to "immediately free or credibly charge" the journalist. “We are deeply concerned that the authorities arrested Rovshen Yazmuhamedov because of his work as a journalist,” said Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The Turkmen government doesn’t tolerate public criticism of its policies, no matter how mild.”
Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, told Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) on May 17 that at a meeting with Turkmen officials in Ashgabat on May 15 the EU human rights delegation expressed concern over Yazmuhamedov’s detention.
"We have very specifically expressed concern about the arrest, have asked for details about the reasons for his arrest and whether his family, for example, and lawyers were authorized to visit him, and we will continue to monitor this closely," Kocijancic told RFE/RL. Turkmen authorities "should make a decision on this case within 10 days,” she added.
But a May 17 EU press release about the Ashgabat meeting – an annual affair – fails to mention Yazmuhamedov. It’s unclear whether his situation was discussed at all.
RFE/RL's repeated requests for information about the circumstances of Yazmuhamedov’s detention have failed. All the organization knows is that he is being held by a department of the Interior Ministry responsible for fighting organized crime and terrorism.
The news agency has reasons to be concerned. Based on Turkmenistan's past treatment of its correspondents, RFE fears Yazmuhamedov could end up receiving an extended sentence on “phony charges,” or even be tortured to death. Turkmenistan is one of the most vicious dictatorships on the planet.
Yet the EU, and the West in general, are often reluctant to press Turkmenistan and other Central Asian authoritarian regimes on human rights because of their vast oil and gas reserves.
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