[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 101 (Thursday, July 27, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1556-E1557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        PRESIDENT NIYAZOV INTENSIFIES REPRESSION IN TURKMENISTAN

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                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 27, 2006

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, as Co-Chairman of the U.S. 
Helsinki Commission, I want to bring to the attention of the Congress a 
number of alarming arrests recently made by the Government of 
Turkmenistan. Last month between June 16-18, three human rights 
defenders were detained by Turkmen security forces and have been held 
for over a month. Considering Turkmenistan's abysmal human rights 
record, I greatly fear for their safety as they are certainly at risk 
of torture.
  Amankurban Amanklychev, Ogulsapar Muradova, and Sapardurdy Khajiev 
are affiliated with the Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation, a non-
governmental organization that monitors human rights in Turkmenistan. 
In addition, Ms. Muradova has served as a journalist for Radio Liberty, 
a private communications service funded by the Congress through the 
Broadcasting Board of Governors.
  Apparently Turkmen authorities arrested these three individuals 
because of their connection to a documentary about President Saparmurat 
Niyazov's cult of personality and

[[Page E1557]]

their use of hidden video equipment in making this film. The three now 
face the trumped-up charges of illegal weapons possession and 
allegations of ``espionage.'' Given the absence of any media or speech 
freedoms in Turkmenistan, the government's allegations are simply not 
credible, and the detentions are unjustifiable.
  Human rights organizations report that the detainees are being 
abused. Most troubling are allegations of psychotropic drugs being 
administered to Amanklychev and Muradova in an effort to force their 
confession to ``subversive activities.'' The reports concerning 
psychotropic drugs are quite believable, as Turkmenistan is known to 
use these drugs in psychiatric hospitals to punish individuals.
  In April, 54 members of the United States Senate and House of 
Representatives wrote to President Niyazov, urging the unconditional 
release of a prisoner of conscience held in a psychiatric hospital. 
While that individual was released, soon thereafter Congress learned of 
an almost identical case--69-year-old Kakabay Tedzhenov. He has been 
held in incommunicado detention in a psychiatric hospital since January 
2006 for peacefully protesting government policies. Considering that 
just three months ago a significant number of Senators and Members of 
the House wrote President Niyazov about this barbaric practice, I am 
particularly disappointed that the Turkmen President continues to allow 
the misuse of psychiatric institutions as prisons for political 
dissidents and that Mr. Tedzhenov remains jailed.

  With Ms. Muradova's ties to Radio Liberty and the Congress, as well 
as the letter from 54 Members of Congress to Niyazov regarding the use 
of psychiatric hospitals, the continuation of these inexcusable actions 
will affect the relations between Turkmenistan and the U.S. Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I am urging President Niyazov to ensure the immediate 
and unconditional release of Amankurban Amanklychev, Ogulsapar 
Muradova, and Sapardurdy Khajiev, as well as Kakabay Tedzhenov.

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