The Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “DAYANÇ” / Turkmenistan expresses serious concern over reports that citizens of Turkmenistan are forced to travel to Ashgabat in an attempt to personally present their complaints to the President, as local authorities fail to respond to their appeals. According to Radio Azatlyk, residents of various regions of the country, particularly the Balkan velayat, travel hundreds of kilometers to seek justice from the highest level of state leadership. Citizens report that their complaints are ignored at the local level, and their problems remain unresolved for extended periods. Of particular concern is the absence of an effective feedback mechanism between citizens and the presidential administration. In practice, citizens are deprived of the opportunity to submit complaints and receive official responses through transparent and accessible procedures. As a result, people are forced to travel to the capital in the hope of being heard. Reports indicate that citizens gather near the presidential palace in hopes of bringing their concerns to the attention of the head of state. However, law enforcement officers and security personnel block access to the area, creating barriers and preventing citizens from approaching or submitting their appeals. Residents state that if local authorities fulfilled their responsibilities and responded to complaints, and if the presidential administration ensured a transparent and accessible complaint mechanism, people would not be forced to spend significant time, money, and effort traveling to the capital. In the absence of effective protection mechanisms, some citizens have begun publishing videos on social media platforms, including TikTok, openly describing their problems and expressing dissatisfaction with local authorities. According to available information, following the publication of such videos, pressure from law enforcement agencies and national security structures has increased. There are reports of intimidation, psychological pressure, and attempts to force citizens to delete their videos and refrain from public complaints. There have also been cases where residents gathered outside local administrative buildings to demand fair consideration of their complaints and resolution of socio-economic issues. These developments indicate systemic problems in the interaction between state authorities and citizens, as well as the effective absence of accessible, safe, and transparent complaint mechanisms. The Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “DAYANÇ” / Turkmenistan emphasizes that the state must ensure: — accessible and transparent complaint procedures, — effective and timely feedback between citizens and state institutions, including the presidential administration, — the right of citizens to appeal without fear of intimidation or retaliation, — protection of freedom of expression. The absence of feedback between citizens and the presidential administration, the ignoring of complaints, and pressure on citizens contradict Turkmenistan’s international human rights obligations, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “DAYANÇ” / Turkmenistan will continue monitoring the situation and informing the international community about violations of the rights of citizens of Turkmenistan. Source: Radio Azatlyk (Azatlyk Radiosy) Video: https://youtu.be/2bgu1JKoYSE?si=cj_oAHO2IKflkUgt�
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