Turkey Appoints a New Ambassador to Turkmenistan: A Call to Address the Problem of Transnational Repression

Turkey Appoints a New Ambassador to Turkmenistan: A Call to Address the Problem of Transnational Repression The President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has appointed a new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Türkiye to Turkmenistan. According to the official decree, Şener Cebeci, who previously served as Deputy Director General for Central Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, has been appointed as the new Head of the Turkish diplomatic mission in Ashgabat. He succeeds Ahmet Demirok, who has been recalled to the Ministry's headquarters in Ankara. The appointment comes at a time when relations between Türkiye and Turkmenistan continue to develop. At the same time, serious concerns remain regarding the protection of human rights and the safety of Turkmen citizens residing in or staying in Türkiye. In this regard, the Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “Dayanch” / Turkmenistan has sent an official letter to the newly appointed Ambassador of Türkiye to Turkmenistan, Şener Cebeci, urging him to pay special attention to the issue of transnational repression carried out by the Turkmen authorities against civil activists, human rights defenders, independent journalists, and other Turkmen citizens living or temporarily staying in Türkiye. According to the information available to our organization, approximately ten Turkmen citizens have been forcibly deported from Türkiye in recent years, despite international human rights obligations and the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they face persecution, torture, or other serious human rights violations. Of particular concern is the fate of Alisher Sakhatov and Abdulla Orusov, who forcibly disappeared after leaving a removal center in July 2025. Their whereabouts remain unknown to this day. In our letter, we also called on the newly appointed Ambassador to support a transparent, independent, and effective investigation into the enforced disappearance of Alisher Sakhatov and Abdulla Orusov, to help establish their whereabouts, ensure that those responsible are held accountable, and contribute to restoring justice in accordance with international human rights standards. Furthermore, we urged the Ambassador to use all available diplomatic channels to help prevent future cases of unlawful deportation of Turkmen citizens, ensure full compliance with Türkiye's international human rights obligations, and pay particular attention to protecting individuals who are persecuted solely for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms. We hope that the appointment of the new Ambassador will provide an opportunity for a more open and constructive dialogue on human rights, the rule of law, and the protection of Turkmen citizens in Türkiye. The Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “Dayanch” / Turkmenistan will continue documenting cases of transnational repression, informing the international community about these violations, and cooperating with diplomatic missions and international organizations to protect Turkmen citizens from unlawful persecution, forced deportations, and enforced disappearances.