Women Seeking Justice Detained Near the Presidential Palace in Ashgabat

Women Seeking Justice Detained Near the Presidential Palace in Ashgabat On May 19, 2026, police in Ashgabat detained three women who had traveled from Lebap Province to seek justice and personally submit complaints to the President regarding violations of their rights. The incident was reported by the independent news outlet Turkmen.News. Among those detained was Rozygul Mamekova, a mother raising two children with disabilities, who has spent years trying to restore her legal rights. According to the report, her family leased a two-hectare agricultural plot that served as their only source of income and livelihood. However, she alleges that the land was unlawfully transferred to another individual through a corrupt arrangement. For years, Mamekova appealed to local authorities, courts at various levels, and the Presidential Administration of Turkmenistan. Despite numerous complaints and petitions, she was unable to obtain a fair resolution. When she once again attempted to personally present her case to the President, police officers detained her along with two other women and took them to a police station. According to Turkmen.News, one of the detained women is a mother of many children, while another is raising a child with a disability. Both women have reportedly spent several years unsuccessfully seeking solutions to housing and social welfare problems through state institutions. The article also recalls other cases that have become symbols of the difficulties citizens face when attempting to seek justice through official channels. One such example is the case of Gulistan Mammetgeldiyeva from Balkanabat. The mother of nine children traveled to the Presidential Palace in Ashgabat together with her children to seek justice after what she described as an unlawful dismissal from her job. Instead of having her complaint addressed, police reportedly detained the family, removed them from the capital, and escorted them back to their home region. Another notable case concerns the family of Ashyrdurdy and Mela Shykhyyev from Balkan Province. Their relatives repeatedly traveled to Ashgabat seeking a review of a criminal case, insisting that their family members had been falsely accused and demanding a new investigation. Despite numerous appeals, no review of the case was conducted. According to family members, active participants in the campaign were repeatedly detained and forcibly returned to their region of residence. They also reported that even taxi drivers who transported them to the capital faced pressure from authorities. These cases highlight serious concerns regarding access to justice and effective legal remedies in Turkmenistan. Rather than having their grievances addressed, citizens who attempt to appeal directly to the country's leadership often face detention, intimidation, and restrictions on their freedom of movement. We previously published information about Rozygul Mamekova, the mother of two children with disabilities, who despite her family's difficult circumstances and years of hardship, was unable to obtain meaningful assistance or support from the Charitable Foundation named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, an organization that publicly declares its commitment to supporting children, vulnerable families, and socially disadvantaged citizens. The cases of Rozygul Mamekova, Gulistan Mammetgeldiyeva, and the Shykhyyev family raise important questions about human rights, access to justice, corruption, and the treatment of vulnerable members of society in Turkmenistan. Source: Turkmen.News https://turkmen.news/2026/06/05/v-ashkhabade-policiya-zaderzhala-zhenshin-priekhavshih-zhalovatsya-prezidentu-na-narushenie-ih-prav/ Photo: The image used in this publication was taken from the above-mentioned Turkmen.News article.