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Open Letter: Arrest of two RFE/RL journalists in Turkmenistan |
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13.03.2006
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Vienna, 13 March 2006. The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) and the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights (TIHR) are gravely alarmed at the recent arrest of two Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) journalists working in Turkmenistan.
The RFE/RL correspondents, Meret Khommadov and Jumadurdy Ovezov, were arrested on 7 March 2006 by police. Neither their families nor their RFE/RL colleagues have been able to obtain any information regarding the reasons for their arrest. The Turkmen authorities have reportedly refused to communicate with the families of the correspondents and blocked the telephone lines of other RFE/RFL staff in the country.
These arrests are not isolated attacks on freedom of expression and journalists in Turkmenistan. As the only remaining source of independent information in the country, RFE/RL journalists are regularly subjected to harassment by the authorities. These arrests are further proof that Turkmenistan, as a signatory to the ICCPR and an OSCE participating State, grossly violates its international human rights obligations and commitments.
The IHF and the TIHR call on the OSCE Permanent Council to include this issue on its agenda for discussion as soon as possible; the participating States must address the lack of improvement of the human rights situation in Turkmenistan.
Yours sincerely,
Aaron Rhodes, IHF Executive Director
Farid Tukhbatullin, TIHR Chair
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Source: The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) and the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights (TIHR) |
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TurkmenMedia, 2004 - 2005
E-mail: center@cjes.ru
Design: Fresh Wind |
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