{"id":2982,"date":"2020-01-27T16:27:52","date_gmt":"2020-01-27T13:27:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/news\/2020\/01\/27\/turkmenistan-first-2020-conscientious-objector-jailing\/"},"modified":"2021-08-18T10:29:32","modified_gmt":"2021-08-18T07:29:32","slug":"turkmenistan-first-2020-conscientious-objector-jailing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/turkmenistan-first-2020-conscientious-objector-jailing\/","title":{"rendered":"TURKMENISTAN: First 2020 conscientious objector jailing"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"article_summary\" style=\"grid-area: article_summary \/ article_summary \/ article_summary \/ article_summary; padding: 0.1em 1em 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 15.2px;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; color: #283e66; font-size: 17.48px; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; margin: 0px;\">A Dashoguz Region court jailed Jehovah&#8217;s Witness conscientious objector Kamiljan Ergashov for two years on 13 January, the first such jailing of 2020. He had offered to do an alternative civilian service but Turkmenistan does not offer this. He is likely to join the eight other jailed conscientious objectors in Seydi labour camp, known for harsh conditions and torture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article_content\" style=\"text-align: justify; grid-area: article_content \/ article_content \/ article_content \/ article_content; font-size: 16.72px; padding: 1em 1em 0px; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\">On 13 January, a court in Dashoguz Region of northern Turkmenistan jailed 18-year-old Jehovah&#8217;s Witness conscientious objector Kamiljan Ergashov for two years for refusing compulsory military service on grounds of conscience. This is the first known conviction and jailing of a conscientious objector so far in 2020. It is the 20th known such conviction since January 2018.<\/div>\n<div class=\"article_content\" style=\"text-align: center; grid-area: article_content \/ article_content \/ article_content \/ article_content; font-size: 16.72px; padding: 1em 1em 0px; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/turkmen.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/military_turkmenistan1.jpg\" width=\"750\" height=\"389\" border=\"0\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"article_content\" style=\"text-align: justify; grid-area: article_content \/ article_content \/ article_content \/ article_content; font-size: 16.72px; padding: 1em 1em 0px; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\">\u00c2<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Ergashov is the only bread winner in his family (see below).<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Ergashov is appealing against his conviction to Dashoguz Regional Court, though courts and prisons often obstruct such appeals (see below).<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Jehovah&#8217;s Witnesses are conscientious objectors to military service and their beliefs do not allow them to undertake any kind of activity supporting any country&#8217;s military. But they willing undertake an alternative, totally civilian form of service, as is the right of all conscientious objectors to military service under international human rights law.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The sentence handed down to Ergashov brings to nine the number of conscientious objectors to compulsory military service known to be serving sentences. All of them are Jehovah&#8217;s Witnesses (see full list below).<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Including two who have been serving jail terms since 2018, nine Jehovah&#8217;s Witness conscientious objectors are known &#8211; as of 27 January 2020 &#8211; to be serving jail terms of between one and four years. Eight of them are imprisoned at the Labour Camp at Seydi in the eastern Lebap Region (see full list below).<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Ergashov is still being held at the pre-trial detention prison in the city of Dashoguz, 450 kms (280 miles) north of the capital Ashgabat. He is expected to be transferred to the labour camp at Seydi, where the other eight jailed conscientious objectors are all being held (see below).<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Turkmenistan has ignored repeated international calls, for example by\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.forum18.org\/archive.php?article_id=2476\">the United Nations Human Rights Committee, to introduce a genuine civilian alternative to compulsory military service, to stop prosecuting and punishing conscientious objectors, and to compensate those it has punished<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The man who answered the phone of the deputy head of Dashoguz Region&#8217;s Military Prosecutor&#8217;s Office denied that it had any involvement in the prosecution. &#8220;We don&#8217;t know anything&#8221; (see below).<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Forum 18 could not immediately reach any other officials to find out why Ergashov was jailed and the regime is not willing to introduce a civilian alternative service. In particular, the specialist at the government&#8217;s Commission for Work with Religious Organisations and Expert Analysis of Resources Containing Religious Information, Published and Printed Production, Nasrullah ibn Ibadullah, did not answer his phone (see below).<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">the United Nations Human Rights Committee has published 13 Decisions in favour of 15 conscientious objectors from Turkmenistan, all of them Jehovah&#8217;s Witnesses (see below).<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Another Jehovah&#8217;s Witness conscientious objector former prisoner, Arslan Begenchov, lodged a case to the UN Human Rights Committee in 2018 and is awaiting a decision (see below).<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Other prisoners of conscience jailed for exercising the right to freedom of religion or belief \u00e2\u20ac\u201c all of them Muslims \u00e2\u20ac\u201c are serving far longer jail terms (see below).<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 21.736px; margin: 0px; padding: 1em 0px; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\">No alternative to compulsory military service<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00c2\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16.72px;\">Turkmenistan offers\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.forum18.org\/archive.php?article_id=2244\">no alternative to its compulsory military service<\/a><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16.72px;\">. Military service for men between the ages of 18 and 27 is generally two years. Article 58 of the 2016 Constitution describes defence as a &#8220;sacred duty&#8221; of everyone and states that military service is compulsory for men.<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Young men who refuse military service on grounds of conscience generally face prosecution under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 1. This punishes refusal to serve in the armed forces in peacetime with a maximum penalty of two years&#8217; imprisonment or two years&#8217; corrective labour.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Criminal Code Article 219, Part 2 punishes refusal to serve in the armed forces in peacetime &#8220;by means of inflicting injury to oneself, or by simulation of illness, by means of forgery of documents, or other fraudulent ways&#8221;. Punishment is a jail term of one to four years. The first known use of Article 219, Part 2 to punish a conscientious objector was the case of Azat Ashirov, while Serdar Dovletov&#8217;s case was the second (see below).<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">From 2014,\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.forum18.org\/archive.php?article_id=2244\">courts punished conscientious objectors with corrective labour or suspended prison terms<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">, rather than imprisonment. However, jailings resumed in January 2018. Courts\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.forum18.org\/archive.php?article_id=2443\">jailed 12 conscientious objectors in 2018, two of them for two years and 10 for one year.<\/a><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 21.736px; margin: 0px; padding: 1em 0px; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\">Calls for alternative civilian service ignored<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Turkmenistan has ignored repeated international calls to introduce an alternative to compulsory military service. The most recent call came in the latest United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee Decision, published in September.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The Human Rights Committee has issued 13 Decisions in favour of 15 conscientious objectors from Turkmenistan, all of them Jehovah&#8217;s Witnesses. In its most recent such Decision, published on 17 September 2019 (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/undocs.org\/CCPR\/C\/126\/D\/2302\/2013\">CCPR\/C\/126\/D\/2302\/2013<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">), it ruled that the right to freedom of religion or belief of former conscientious objectors Juma Nazarov, Yadgarbek Sharipov and Atamurad Suvhanov had been violated by their jailing.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Nazarov and Sharipov had been jailed in 2012, and Suvhanov (for the second time) in 2013. The men had lodged their Human Rights Committee appeals in August 2013.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">All three men also complained of &#8220;inhuman and degrading treatment&#8221; after their arrests.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Sharipov told the Human Rights Committee that in &#8220;temporary quarantine&#8221; detention following sentencing in Dashoguz in December 2012, &#8220;he was treated &#8216;terribly, beaten up and humiliated&#8217; for his convictions every day during his 10-day detention&#8221;.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">In a 21 March 2013 submission to the Human Rights Committee, Suvhanov&#8217;s brother noted that when he saw Atamurad two days earlier in the Investigation Prison in Dashoguz, &#8220;it was clear to him that his brother was treated &#8216;horribly&#8217;, was beaten, and &#8216;humiliated for his convictions&#8217;. [Suvhanov] also knew that the conversation with his brother has been monitored. He told his brother that he will not be sent to prison colony anytime soon, because the authorities needed to &#8216;break&#8217; him.&#8221;<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Neither Sharipov nor Suvhanov lodged official complaints about the beatings &#8220;due to the fear of retaliation and further physical abuse by the prison authorities&#8221;, the UN Committee noted.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">However, the Human Rights Committee ruled that the three men had not been able to document their maltreatment sufficiently to allow a finding that their right not to be tortured had been violated.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">One of the Human Rights Committee members, French law professor H\u00c3\u00a9l\u00c3\u00a8ne Tigroudja, argued that the men&#8217;s prison conditions were enough to justify a finding also that their right not to be tortured had been violated.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Professor Tigroudja pointed out that the Seydi Labour Camp where Nazarov, Sharipov and Suvhanov had served their sentences, &#8220;is situated in a desert, with extreme climatic conditions both in winter and in summer, with deplorable hygiene and living conditions, without the possibility of access to such bodies as the ICRC [International Committee of the Red Cross] and, above all, with the complete impossibility for detainees to complain about their treatment without the threat of retaliation&#8221;. She also noted that sick prisoners \u00e2\u20ac\u201c including those who have contracted tuberculosis \u00e2\u20ac\u201c are not held separately from other prisoners.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The Human Rights Committee stressed that Turkmenistan is under an obligation to make reparation to Nazarov, Sharipov and Suvhanov for the violations of their rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including to &#8220;expunge their criminal records and to provide them with adequate compensation. The State party is also under an obligation to avoid similar violations of the Covenant in the future.&#8221;<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The Committee therefore urges Turkmenistan to meets its obligations to avoid similar violations such as by changing the law, &#8220;for instance, by providing the possibility of exemption from service or alternative service of a civilian nature&#8221;.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Another conscientious objector former prisoner, Arslan Begenchov, lodged a case to the UN Human Rights Committee on 20 June 2018 and is awaiting a decision, Jehovah&#8217;s Witnesses told Forum 18. When sentenced in Charjew to one year&#8217;s imprisonment in January 2018, Begenchov was the first conscientious objector to be sentenced to prison since 2014.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 21.736px;\">Why no alternative civilian service?<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Forum 18 was unable to find out why the authorities will not introduce an alternative civilian service and why conscientious objectors who are willing to perform such an alternative service, like the ten Jehovah&#8217;s Witness young men, continue to be jailed.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The telephones of the regime-appointed Chair of the Mejlis (Parliament) Human Rights Committee Yusupguly Eshshayev and the regime-appointed Human Rights Ombudsperson Yazdursun Gurbannazarova went unanswered each time Forum 18 called on 27 January.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The man who answered the phone at the government&#8217;s Commission for Work with Religious Organisations and Expert Analysis of Resources Containing Religious Information, Published and Printed Production referred Forum 18 to the Commission&#8217;s specialist, Nasrullah ibn Ibadullah. However, his phone also went unanswered on 27 January.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 21.736px; margin: 0px; padding: 1em 0px; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\">Many prisoners of conscience<\/h2>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The nine jailed conscientious objectors are among the\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.forum18.org\/archive.php?article_id=2244\">many people Turkmenistan has jailed for exercising freedom of religion or belief.<\/a><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Five Muslims who met to study the works of theologian Said Nursi failed to overturn their 12-year jail terms at Turkmenistan&#8217;s Supreme Court in July 2018.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.forum18.org\/archive.php?article_id=2399\">Four of the five are in the top-security prison at Ovadan-Depe<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">, where prisoners have suffered torture and death from abuse or neglect.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">More than 60 Muslims from in and around the eastern city of Turkmenabat were imprisoned in 2013 and after to punish them for their involvement in a Muslim study group. Most or all the prisoners are believed to be held at Ovadan-Depe. Relatives often have no information as to whether they are still alive.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.forum18.org\/archive.php?article_id=2318\">Three of the group are known to have died in prison.<\/a><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 21.736px; margin: 0px; padding: 1em 0px; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\">Two-year Dashoguz jailing<\/h2>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">A Military Conscription Office in the northern Dashoguz Region summoned Kamiljan Ergeshovich Ergashov (born 27 June 2001) to perform compulsory military service. He told the Office that he could not perform military service because of his religious beliefs and said he was ready to perform a fully civilian alternative service.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Ergashov \u00e2\u20ac\u201c who is from the village of Shohrat in Niyazov District of Dashoguz Region, just a few kilometers from the border with Uzbekistan &#8211; is the sole bread winner in his family.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Prosecutors brought a criminal case against Ergashov under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 1. The case was then handed to Niyazov District Court.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">On 13 January 2020, a Judge at Niyazov District Court convicted Ergashov and sentenced him to two years&#8217; imprisonment, Jehovah&#8217;s Witnesses told Forum 18.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The man who answered the phone of the deputy head of Dashoguz Region&#8217;s Military Prosecutor&#8217;s Office denied that it had any involvement in the prosecution. &#8220;We don&#8217;t know anything,&#8221; he told Forum 18 on 27 January. He then put the phone down.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Ergashov has signed his appeal against his conviction to Dashoguz Regional Court, though courts and prisons often obstruct such appeals. The chancellery of Dashoguz Regional Court refused to tell Forum 18 on 27 January if the court has yet received Ergashov&#8217;s appeal.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Ergashov is still being held in the Temporary Detention Prison (DZ-E\/7) in Dashoguz Region. He is expected to be transferred to the labour camp at Seydi, where the other eight jailed conscientious objectors are all being held.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 21.736px; margin: 0px; padding: 1em 0px; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\">Eight jailed conscientious objectors in Seydi Labour Camp<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Ergashov&#8217;s jailing brings to nine the number of Jehovah&#8217;s Witness conscientious objectors known &#8211; as of 27 January &#8211; to be serving jail terms. Eight of them are imprisoned at the harsh Seydi Labour Camp in the desert in Lebap Region.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The address of the Seydi Labour Camp is:<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">746222 Lebap velayat<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Seydi<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">uchr. LB-E\/12<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Turkmenistan<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">In his complaint to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee, former Jehovah&#8217;s Witness prisoner of conscience Aibek Salayev complained that conditions in the Seydi Labour Camp where he was held were &#8220;inhuman&#8221;.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Salayev noted that the Camp was &#8220;known for its overcrowdedness, harsh climatic conditions, scarce supplies of food, medication and personal hygiene products, and for tuberculosis, skin diseases, its very high mortality rate, and physical abuse&#8221;. Officials also threatened him with rape in the Camp.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The UN Human Rights Committee\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.forum18.org\/archive.php?article_id=2476\">ruled that the Turkmen authorities had violated the rights of Salayev and another Jehovah&#8217;s Witness former prisoner of conscience Vladimir Nuryllayev.<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00c2\u00a0The UN published the Decision (CCPR\/C\/125\/D\/2448\/2014) on 18 April 2019.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 21.736px; margin: 0px; padding: 1em 0px; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\">Completed jail terms<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">The two most recent conscientious objectors to be freed at the end of their sentences were:<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">&#8211; Gurbangylych Muhammetgulyyev, freed on 28 November 2019 after completing a one year ordinary regime labour camp sentence;<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">&#8211; Azamatjan Narkulyev, freed on 7 January 2020 after completing a one year ordinary regime labour camp sentence.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 21.736px; margin: 0px; padding: 1em 0px; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\">List of known jailed conscientious objectors<\/h2>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">Nine conscientious objectors to compulsory military service (listed below) \u00e2\u20ac\u201c all of them Jehovah&#8217;s Witnesses \u00e2\u20ac\u201c are known to be serving prison sentences. Six were jailed under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 1 (&#8220;Rejecting call-up to military service&#8221;), Ashirov and Dovletov under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 2, and Atahanov under Criminal Code Article 344, Part 2:<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">1) Mekan Orazdurdiyevich Annayev; born 22 June 1999; sentenced 26 June 2018 Turkmenbashi City Court under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 1; no appeal to Balkan Region Court; two years&#8217; ordinary regime labour camp.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">2) Eziz Dovletmuradovich Atabayev; born 15 March 1998; sentenced 19 December 2018 Dashoguz City Court under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 1; appeal rejected 15 January 2019 Dashoguz Regional Court; two years&#8217; ordinary regime labour camp.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">3) Muhammetali Charygeldiyevich Saparmyradov; born 11 November 1995; sentenced 19 March 2019 Bayramaly City Court under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 1; no appeal to Mary Regional Court; one year ordinary regime labour camp.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">4) Bahtiyar Amirjanovich Atahanov; born 17 June 2000; sentenced 15 July 2019 Tejen City Court under Criminal Code Article 344, Part 2; appeal rejected 20 August 2019 Ahal Regional Court; four years&#8217; ordinary regime labour camp.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">5) Azat Gurbanmuhammedovich Ashirov, born 7 January 1999; sentenced 31 July 2019 Abadan District Court under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 2; appeal rejected 3 September 2019 Ashgabat City Court; two years&#8217; ordinary regime labour camp.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">6) David Andronikovich Petrosov, born 15 May 2001; sentenced 30 September 2019 Ashgabat&#8217;s Kopetdag District Court under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 1; appeal rejected 29 October 2019 Ashgabat City Court; one year ordinary regime labour camp.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">7) Selim Yolamanovich Taganov, born 22 March 2001; sentenced 3 October 2019 Ashgabat&#8217;s Berkararlyk District Court under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 1; appeal rejected 29 October 2019 Ashgabat City Court; one year ordinary regime labour camp.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">8) Serdar Nurmuhammedovich Dovletov, born 12 February 1993; sentenced 12 November 2019 Bayramali City Court under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 2; appealed to Mary Regional Court; three years&#8217; ordinary regime labour camp.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16.72px;\">9) Kamiljan Ergeshovich Ergashov, born 27 June 2001; sentenced 13 January 2020 Niyazov District Court under Criminal Code Article 219, Part 1; appeal lodged to Dashoguz Regional Court; two years&#8217; ordinary regime labour camp.<\/span>\u00c2<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<div class=\"article_content\" style=\"text-align: justify; grid-area: article_content \/ article_content \/ article_content \/ article_content; font-size: 16.72px; padding: 1em 1em 0px; color: #000000; font-family: candara, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16.72px;\">\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Dashoguz Region court jailed Jehovah&#8217;s Witness conscientious objector Kamiljan Ergashov for two years on 13 January, the first such jailing of 2020. He had offered to do an alternative civilian service but Turkmenistan does&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2982,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-turkmenistan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2982"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5141,"href":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2982\/revisions\/5141"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jwforum.net\/portal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}