Transnational Repression Continues. Where Are the Results of the Investigations?

Transnational Repression Continues. Where Are the Results of the Investigations? The Human Rights Platform of the Civil Movement “Dayanç” / Turkmenistan once again declares that transnational repression against citizens of Turkmenistan continues, while the international community has still failed to provide an adequate legal and political response to these crimes. For years, Turkmen activists, bloggers, journalists, and civil society representatives have faced pressure, surveillance, threats, unlawful detention, deportation, and disappearances outside Turkmenistan. People are being persecuted simply for exercising their legitimate right to speak the truth, criticize the authorities, defend human rights, and demand compliance with the Constitution of Turkmenistan. Freedom of speech is not a crime. Freedom of speech is a constitutional right of every citizen. However, instead of implementing the Constitution, the authorities of Turkmenistan continue to use fear, intimidation, and transnational mechanisms of persecution against their own citizens. According to Freedom House, Turkmenistan is among the countries systematically engaged in transnational repression. Numerous cases of pressure, abductions, deportations, and persecution of citizens abroad have been documented. Yet despite repeated appeals, statements, testimonies, and submitted evidence, there are still no transparent results of any investigations. Particularly alarming is the situation of civil activists, human rights defenders, and independent journalists currently residing in Turkey and CIS countries. Many of them have been unable for years to obtain new identity documents because Turkmen diplomatic missions refuse to comply with Article 29, Paragraph 3 of the Migration Law of Turkmenistan, which obliges diplomatic missions to issue passports to citizens abroad. As a result, people remain undocumented, deprived of legal protection, and under constant threat of detention, deportation, and possible forced return. We declare that this is a humanitarian crisis requiring an urgent international response. Over recent years, the international community has become aware of numerous cases involving pressure, disappearances, and alleged forced deportations of Turkmen citizens. Many families still do not know the fate of their loved ones. Activists and their relatives continue to live in fear, while the lack of effective investigations creates an atmosphere of total impunity. We ask: Why have those responsible still not been held accountable? Why are international mechanisms responding so slowly? Why are victims of transnational repression left without protection? Why are families forced to live in fear and uncertainty for years? We demand: an immediate, independent, and transparent international investigation into all cases of transnational repression against citizens of Turkmenistan; accountability for all individuals involved in unlawful deportations, disappearances, threats, and intimidation; an end to the persecution of activists, journalists, and bloggers; the release of all political prisoners; the evacuation of political prisoners and persecuted individuals to safe countries; the urgent provision of humanitarian visas, emergency protection programs, and safe humanitarian corridors for Turkmen activists, human rights defenders, journalists, and their families currently located in Turkey and CIS countries; the creation of an international accelerated relocation mechanism for citizens of Turkmenistan facing the risk of transnational repression; compliance with the Constitution of Turkmenistan and international human rights obligations; an end to the intimidation of activists’ families and pressure on the Turkmen diaspora. The guarantors of the Constitution must not become participants in crimes against their own people. They are obligated to uphold the law and respect the rights of citizens. If the authorities of Turkmenistan truly want people to stop speaking about violations, then they must not silence people. Instead, they must improve the human rights situation, end repression, and begin implementing the Constitution of Turkmenistan. The people demand justice. The people demand truth. The people demand accountability. Stop transnational crimes. No one should disappear because of their beliefs. No one should be afraid to speak the truth. Sources: Freedom House 🔗 https://x.com/i/status/2057818972288950456 Progress Online 🔗 https://progress.online/ Photos and statistical data were used based on materials published by Freedom House and independent sources covering transnational repression.