Turkmenistan grants amnesty to 1,200 prisoners
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 16 May 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Turkmenistan grants amnesty to 1,200 prisoners, 16 May 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5565bab415.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
May 16, 2015
Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov (file photo)
Turkmen state media is reporting that some 1,200 prisoners have been pardoned in a sweeping amnesty.
State media quotes President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov as saying that the amnesty, announced May 16, was in keeping with the country's practice of regularly freeing prisoners who had sincerely repented.
The amnesty comes ahead of the country's Constitution Day on May 18.
It follows a visit by Berdymukhammedov to Vienna last week for talks with Austrian President Heinz Fischer that reportedly touched on widespread rights abuses in Turkmenistan.
Based on reporting by AFP
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