From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue Apr 06 2004 - 08:59:26 EDT
Statement on behalf of the ILHR, IHF and Memorial Human Rights Center
60th Session of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva
(Agenda Item 11)
Thank you, Chairperson:
The International League for Human Rights, International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights and Memorial Human Rights Center appeal to the Commission to address the continuing human rights violations in Turkmenistan.¹
Over the past year, the government of Turkmenistan has systematically ignored and violated its obligations under United Nations treaties it has signed and ratified. It has failed to take active measures to implement recommendations contained in the resolutions adopted by the Commission in April 2003 and by the General Assembly in December 2003. Nor has the government responded to a similar resolution adopted by the European Parliament in October 2003, which deplored the deteriorating human rights situation in the country, and elsewhere in Central Asia. It has failed to submit periodic reports to relevant treaty bodies and ignored repeated requests to issue invitations for special rapporteurs to visit the country.
Despite these efforts by the international community, Turkmenistan remains a repressive and closed society, ruled by President-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov, who controls all branches of government and has outlawed any form of political opposition and dissent. His party is the only legal political entity allowed to participate in elections. All decisions are made by the President. The frequent and erratic turnover in his cabinet suggests that there is little room for high-level officials, let alone the general population, to question the President's absolute power and authority over the state.
Fundamental freedoms, including those of religion, association, expression, and movement, are severely restricted if not denied altogether. No independent human rights groups are able to function inside the country and many civil society and opposition activists have been forced into exile. The relatives of exiled dissidents have been targeted in an attempt to stop exiles from criticizing government policies and speaking out about human rights violations.
Following an alleged assassination attempt on November 25, 2002, President Niyazov initiated a massive campaign against political opponents. Trials are neither fair nor impartial, and access for independent observers is denied. Several opponents of the regime have been sentenced to life in prison without due process and there are credible reports of torture, abuse, and ill-treatment against prisoners; some have died while in custody due to malnutrition and abuse.
Documented cases of discrimination against national and other ethnic minorities have escalated as well. In April, the President abandoned the dual-citizenship status for Russians living in Turkmenistan, which affects over 100,000 people. In July, a group of NGO leaders including ethnic Russians was prevented from meeting with a Russian delegation sent to investigate the Turkmen government's unilateral abrogation of the dual citizenship agreement. In another case of ethnic discrimination, the government instituted a policy of forcibly resettling inhabitants of Dashauz province, along the border with Uzbekistan, to uninhabitable areas of the desert; those targeted for resettlement are overwhelmingly ethnic Uzbeks.
The government severely restricts freedom of speech and expression; independent press is non-existent. Censorship affects all news reporting in the country. With restricted access to the Internet and satellite television, the only way Turkmen citizens can actually receive independent analysis and criticism of government policies is through foreign press coverage, which is itself under increasing attack. Last summer, government intelligence forces were reportedly involved in attacking and beating Turkmen Radio Free Europe reporters who were based in Moscow. On November 13, RFE/RL correspondent Saparmurat Ovezberdiev was abducted and beaten. And earlier this month, two more RFE/RL journalists were arrested for treason.
We reiterate concerns raised at last year's Commission about the deplorable human rights crisis in Turkmenistan, and urge the Commission to adopt once again a resolution condemning the ongoing assault on fundamental civil and political rights of the Turkmen population. The resolution should call on the Turkmen authorities to grant access to the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit political prisoners; release immediately and unconditionally all prisoners of conscience; request international monitoring of all trials; call on authorities to repeal all laws and decrees that restrict the freedoms of expression, including religious, association and assembly, or otherwise violate international standards; to grant Turkmen citizens full freedom of movement; and to issue immediately invitations to relevant UN mechanisms and the High Commissioner for Human Rights who should visit the country and report on findings to the 61st Session of the Commission.
Thank you for your attention.
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Footnotes
¹This statement is supported by Amnesty International; however, under current quota arrangements, AI was unable to sign on to this oral statement
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