Amnesty International Report 1996 - Turkmenistan

An opposition activist who was briefly detained was a prisoner of conscience. She was allegedly beaten during her detention. Two men convicted of anti-state crimes were possible prisoners of conscience, as were two others who were convicted of assisting an escape attempt by one of the former. Scores of people were detained following an anti-government demonstration, some of whom were believed to be still in detention at the end of the year. At least one man held in connection with the demonstration was reportedly tortured, and an opposition activist was seriously assaulted by suspected government agents. At least two people were sentenced to death. Gulnara Nurmuradova, an opposition activist and daughter of the dissident writer Shirali Nurmuradov, was detained by police for three days in April and questioned about her father and about her own opposition activities. She alleged that in the course of this questioning she was beaten by police officers. She subsequently fled the country. Khoshali Garayev and Mukhametkuli (previously given as Mukhammad) Aymuradov were sentenced in June by the Supreme Court to 12 and 15 years' imprisonment respectively after being convicted of crimes including activities aimed at overthrowing the constitutional order and preparing terrorist acts. They had been detained in late 1994 (see Amnesty International Report 1995), accused of plotting to assassinate President Saparmurad Niyazov. Evidence suggested that the charges were fabricated. Bayram Vellekov and Yevgeny Starikov were tried with Khoshali Garayev and Mukhametkuli Aymuradov. They were charged with "concealing a crime" for having failed to turn Mukhametkuli Aymuradov in to the authorities when he sought help from them while on the run after escaping from pre-trial detention early in 1995. There was no indication that violence was used during this escape attempt, which the prison authorities themselves appeared to have facilitated in order to entrap Mukhametkuli Aymuradov. Bayram Vellekov and Yevgeny Starikov were convicted and each sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Scores of people were detained in July after a peaceful anti-government demonstration in the capital, Ashgabat. Most were released shortly afterwards, but 27 remained in custody and were tried at the end of December. Twenty were sentenced to terms of imprisonment, reportedly for hooliganism, and seven for drug-related offences. Those reportedly sentenced for hooliganism included brothers Azhdar and Alamurad Amanmuradov, identified as organizers of the demonstration, and journalists Mukhamed Muradly and Yovshan Annakurban, who had apparently been accused of instigating it. They were possible prisoners of conscience. There was no news of Valentin Kopysov (previously given as Kopusev), a possible prisoner of conscience, who had reportedly been confined against his will to a psychiatric hospital for political reasons since early 1994 (see Amnesty International Report 1995). One of those detained briefly after the July demonstration, Sukhanberdy Ishonov, hanged himself after being released. His body was found reportedly bearing the marks of a severe beating to which he had allegedly been subjected in order to force him to name the organizers of the demonstration. In August Khudayberdi Khalli, a government opponent and a former prisoner of conscience (see Amnesty International Report 1994), was abducted, beaten unconscious and dumped outside Ashgabat by suspected government agents. Reports were received of two death sentences passed during the year, both for drug-trafficking; the true figure was probably much higher. It was not known whether any executions took place. Amnesty International called for a judicial review of the cases against Khoshali Garayev and Mukhametkuli Aymuradov and against Bayram Vellekov and Yevgeny Starikov, and for clarification of the charges against all those arrested in connection with the July demonstration in Ashgabat. It continued to seek further information about the detention of Valentin Kopysov. The organization called for investigations into the alleged torture of Sukhanberdy Ishonov and the assault on Khudayberdi Khalli. It continued to call for the abolition of the death penalty.