The regime in Turkmenistan remained deeply authoritarian. Serious human rights violations were routine. The right to health was violated in the context of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The authorities continued to deny that there were any cases of COVID-19 despite evidence...

The Covid-19 pandemic, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and a pervasive focus on ‘traditional values’ have contributed to a deterioration in human rights and rising levels of domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Amnesty International said...

Responding to yesterday’s arrest in Croatia of activist and member of the band Pussy Riot, Aysoltan Niyazov, who faces possible extradition to Turkmenistan, Amnesty International’s Julia Hall, Deputy Director for Europe, said: “The Croatian authorities know that Aysoltan Niyazov’s activism would...

Governments in Eastern European and Central Asian countries are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with repressive and abusive measures which fall far short of their human rights obligations, Amnesty International said today. The organization has released a new briefing Eastern Europe and Central...

An estimated 50,000 or more people have been forcibly evicted from their homes as part of a push to “beautify” the capital of Turkmenistan ahead of the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, Amnesty International revealed today as it published satellite images showing the extent of the...

The Turkmenistani authorities must grant a retrial to an unfairly imprisoned human rights activist who has hours to live following a 14-day dry hunger strike, Amnesty International said today.Mansur Mingelov has refused all food or drink since 19 May in protest at the 22-year sentence for alleged...

Turkmenistan’s authorities have simply paid lip service to reform in a bid to appease the international community said Amnesty International in the run up to parliamentary elections this weekend (15 December). “Holding these elections will not address the atmosphere of total repression, denial of...

Amnesty International is calling on the Turkmenistani authorities to immediately lift the suspension of the operation of the country’s largest mobile phone service provider until arrangements can be made to provide an alternative service enabling them to access independent news sites. Earlier this...

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called on the Austrian authorities to protect a Vienna-based Turkmenistani activist who is believed to be at serious risk of harm after he criticized Turkmenistan’s human rights record during a television interview.Farid Tukhbatullin, director of...

Over one hundred countries voted overwhelmingly in favour of a second resolution on “Moratorium on the use of the death penalty” at the United Nations (UN) on Thursday. The resolution reaffirms last year’s UN General Assembly call for a moratorium on executions. 106 states supported the resolution,...