Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders Annual Report 2005 - Turkmenistan
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Date:
22 March 2006
Restriction on the freedom of movement of several defenders61
Just prior to a visit to Turkmenistan by Mr. Rolf Ekeus, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, several members of NGOs were ordered by the Ministry of National Security (MNB) to stay at home the day of his visit and to refrain from seeking to meet with him or persons accompanying him.
On 31 May 2005, as Mr. Ekeus was being received by the President of Turkmenistan, the homes of several activists were cordoned off by the police and plain-clothes MNB agents.
In particular, Mrs. Nathalia Shabunts, director of the human rights NGO Civic Dignity, was prevented from leaving her apartment and was therefore unable to take part in an international seminar.
[Refworld note: This report as posted on the FIDH website (www.fidh.org) was in pdf format with country chapters run together by region. Footnote numbers have been retained here, so do not necessarily begin at 1.]
61. See Annual Report 2004 and Urgent Appeal TKM 001/0603/OBS 027.1.
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