Murat Dushemov — A Man Who Believed in the Law May 24 — Birthday of Political Prisoner Murat Dushemov

Murat Dushemov — A Man Who Believed in the Law May 24 — Birthday of Political Prisoner Murat Dushemov On May 24, Murat Dushemov — a civic activist and political prisoner of Turkmenistan who has become a symbol of the struggle for legality, civil rights, and legal awareness — celebrated his birthday. Sadly, Murat spent another birthday behind bars instead of with his family and loved ones. His story is the story of a man who did not call for violence, did not hide, and did not attempt to destroy the state. On the contrary, Murat Dushemov tried to act strictly within the framework of the law and the Constitution of Turkmenistan. However, judging by what followed, this became the reason for severe persecution against him. When Knowledge of the Law Becomes a “Threat to the State” In 2020, Turkmenistan faced several serious crises at once: a devastating hurricane in the Lebap region, an economic crisis, shortages of basic food products, border closures, and problems with passport renewal for citizens abroad. Against this background, more and more citizens began asking questions about human rights, government responsibility, and the role of the Constitution. One of these people was Murat Dushemov — a resident of Bezmein who openly appeared in online broadcasts without hiding his face and spoke about the importance of legal awareness among the population. Murat repeatedly emphasized one simple but extremely important idea: > “People must know the law and understand their rights.” Later, this very position became the reason for his persecution. An Attempt to Act Legally Murat Dushemov did not call for violent actions or the overthrow of the government. Moreover, he tried to act strictly within the law. After conversations with officers of the Ministry of National Security, he believed that it was possible in Turkmenistan to legally create a civic initiative and even establish a political party. He consulted with the Ministry of Adalat, studied legislation, tried to understand the procedure for registering a political party, and spoke about the need to improve legal literacy among the population. He was particularly concerned that many citizens obey unlawful demands without even asking: who is standing before them; on what legal basis demands are being made; where the official documents and legal grounds are. Murat Dushemov believed that representatives of the authorities abuse the population’s lack of legal knowledge. But judging by subsequent events, it was precisely his desire to use the law that became the reason for pressure against him. From “Dialogue” to Repression At first, security service officers held conversations with Murat, creating the impression that dialogue was possible. However, the situation later changed dramatically. In 2021, systematic persecution began. Murat was forcibly placed in an infectious disease hospital in Choganly, where he was allegedly diagnosed with tuberculosis. According to reports, he was held together with actual tuberculosis patients and was given unknown medications. Later, another conflict occurred at Clinic No. 12 in Bezmein, when Murat attempted to obtain information about vaccination and possible contraindications for his mother. He recorded his conversation with clinic director Selbi Nazarova on video. According to reports, the recording contained no insults or aggression from Murat. Nevertheless, new persecution began immediately afterward. The court found him guilty under an administrative article. This was followed by: detentions; arrests; provocations; pressure on relatives; criminal prosecution. Pressure on the Family During one episode, Murat’s family attempted to seek help through foreign contacts. According to relatives, after visiting an embassy they were chased by police officers. Murat’s mother was knocked down, her arms were twisted behind her back, and bruises remained afterward. Later, she was directly told: > “Turkmenistan is a neutral state, and no foreign country will help Murat.” She was also made to understand that the family’s conversations were being monitored. These episodes raise serious concerns regarding: the right to privacy; freedom of communication; pressure against relatives of political prisoners. Fabricated Criminal Charges Later, Murat Dushemov was accused of: causing bodily harm; extortion; other charges that human rights defenders consider fabricated. The trial reportedly involved numerous violations: relatives were given false information about the location of hearings; access restrictions were imposed; transparency was absent. As a result, Murat Dushemov was sentenced to four years of imprisonment and transferred to colony LB-E/12 in the Lebap region. Even after imprisonment, he reportedly continued demanding respect for prisoners’ rights. Appeal to the United Nations In 2023, Murat Dushemov, together with other political prisoners: Allamurat Korkhanov, Nurgeldy Khalykov, Murat Ovezov, submitted an appeal to the United Nations office in Turkmenistan. The letter reportedly described: fabricated criminal cases; violations of prisoners’ rights; restrictions on family visits; denial of telephone communication with relatives. However, the situation did not change. International Reaction The following organizations and individuals called for the release of Murat Dushemov: Human Rights Watch; the Norwegian Helsinki Committee; the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights; the International Partnership for Human Rights; the Association for Human Rights in Central Asia; United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor. Despite these international calls, Murat Dushemov remains a symbol of how even peaceful civic activism and attempts to exercise constitutional rights can lead to persecution in Turkmenistan. The Main Question The story of Murat Dushemov raises an extremely important question: If a person who: speaks about the law, demands respect for the Constitution, tries to act legally, encourages people to know their rights, becomes a “threat to the state” — what does this say about the condition of human rights and the rule of law in the country? We congratulate Murat Dushemov on his recent birthday and wish him freedom, justice, and a swift reunion with his family and loved ones. Political prisoners must not become victims because of their civic position, peaceful activism, and commitment to legality. #FreeMurat Source: Turkmen.News — “Murat Dushemov” Archives https://share.google/dEqfVVNWnSlRjjGR1 Materials: Turkmen.News