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Prison Conditions in Turkmenistan


Prisons and Detention Facilities in Turkmenistan

Thanks to Sara Drake, Ph D, of the USA for the provision of this information.

It was estimated that Turkmenistan had about 36,000 prisoners. However, there were no official statistics available. Regular amnesties reduced the number temporarily, but the practice of courts of handing down long prison sentences for most crimes rapidly filled the prisons again. The conditions in a prison of strict regime largely depended on the financial situation of detainees as well as on the reasons for which they were serving prison sentences. However, generally conditions were very poor with overcrowding, substandard nutrition and lack of medical care. Most prisoners were not able to sleep properly because of the lack of beds and blankets and infectious diseases such as tuberculosis were widespread.

The strict regime colony in Bayram-Ali, for example, was designed for 600 prisoners but in reality housed about 4,200 people, as a result of which many convicts had to sleep outdoors. Inmates could not wash themselves for months. As a result of the unbearable conditions one to two people died every day during winter and three to four in the summer. A large number of inmates suffered from tuberculosis. The conditions in Turkmenistan's pre-trial detention places (SIZOs) were very harsh. For example, the pre-trial detention center of the Ministry for National Security fell seriously short of all international standards. Two to three square meter cells held three detainees. They were not permitted to have contacts with their relatives or a lawyer and were deprived of any means of communication with the outside world. Only rarely were they taken out to have a walk. Nutrition was seriously substandard, consisting of hot water and a piece of black bread for breakfast and porridge for lunch. Food parcels from relatives were allowed once a month but much of their contents were usually stolen by prison guards. Detainees were allowed to take a shower once a week and given 10 minutes per week to wash their clothes.

Conditions in the pre-trial detention center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were similarly appalling. The cells were seriously overcrowded with up to 40 people in a single cell of about nine to seven meters in size. Detainees were obliged to sleep on the floor because there were no beds. Mattresses, pillows, or blankets, not to mention bed linen, were not available. Extremely poor sanitary conditions increased the risk of tuberculosis.

And the policy on pardons. You can see that since Geldy was accused of a crime while in office, he is not eligible for a pardon under that provision:

The Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports that the Prosecutor-General's Office is suggesting to amnesty 6,135 people this year, including 181 foreign nationals. The president believes that the list should also include those who had already been pardoned but have been arrested again and repent of their crime.

Since 29 December 1999 Turkmenistan has been applying the law "On annual amnesty and pardoning" in honour of Gadyr gijesi [Night of almightiness]. In line with the law, those convicted for insignificant crimes are freed every year. This year the night of forgiveness - Gadyr gijesi - falls between 21 and 22 November. Those who are pardoned take an oath that they will never commit a crime anymore.

In line with a special presidential decree the heads of state bodies, enterprises and organizations who have been convicted for crimes connected with their office, cannot be pardoned in the first five years of their imprisonment.

 

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