18 October 2006

Alert

President Nyazov asked to include two imprisoned journalists in independence anniversary pardon


Incident details

Annakurban Amanklychev, Sapardurdy Khajiyev

journalist(s)

imprisoned

This is available in:

English Français
(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has appealed to President Separmurad Nyazov to include two journalists and human rights activists in the pardon he announced on 16 October 2006 for 10,000 prisoners. Held since June, Annakurban Amanklychev and Sapardurdy Khajiyev are now serving seven-year prison sentences.

The presidential pardon is to mark the 15th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence. The beneficiaries, who are expected to be freed on 19 October, are to include eight of the 50 people who were convicted of treason after an attempt to assassinate Nyazov in 2002.

"We learned on 14 September that Ogulsapar Muradova, the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist who was arrested at the same time as Amanklychev and Khajiyev, died in prison under torture, but a gesture of clemency is still possible for the other two," RSF said (see IFEX alerts of 14 September, 15 August, 20 and 6 July, 22 and 20 June 2006).

"We have received no word of them for several weeks and we are very worried about their state of health," the organisation added.

Amanklychev, who was working as fixer for the French independent TV production company Galaxie-Presse, and Khajiyev, a member of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, were arrested together with Muradova between 16 and 18 June and were given prison sentences ranging from six to seven years in a summary trial held secretly on 25 August.



Source:

Putting free expression issues in perspective.

Sign up to receive IFEX In Context.

More on this case

President urged to extend amnesty for 11 political prisoners to include journalists 20 August 2007 Journalist Ogulsapar Muradova dies violently in prison 14 September 2006 Three journalists and human rights activists sentenced to prison 25 August 2006 CPJ alarmed by reports of abuse in journalist's detention 15 August 2006 Journalist's three children, human rights activist released 6 July 2006 CPJ condemns arrest of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist and her children, harassment of her family 22 June 2006 Journalist arrested, her family members harassed 20 June 2006

At a glance

Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
 
Key reports and information
  • Universal Periodic Review: Turkmenistan

    Joint HRW submission on Turkmenistan with Freedom Now and the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights.

    Human Rights Watch 31 October 2012

  • Predators of Freedom of Information 2012: Turkmenistan

    "State control of the country’s five TV stations, 25 newspapers and 15 magazines is absolute"

    Reporters Without Borders 2 May 2012

  • The Enemies of the Internet 2012: Turkmenistan

    "For the first time, netizens have managed to breach the censorship wall of one of the world’s most closed countries"

    Reporters Without Borders 12 March 2012

  • Press Freedom Index 2011-2012: Turkmenistan

    "The war of information 2.0 has now begun"

    Reporters Without Borders 26 January 2012

 
IFEX is a global network of committed organisations working to defend and promote free expression.
Permission is granted for material on this website to be reproduced or republished in whole or in part provided the source member and/or IFEX is cited with a link to the original item.