HEAD OF TURKMEN DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 001497

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: HEAD OF TURKMEN DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
INSTITUTE FOCUSED ON NEW LAWS

Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY. During his visit to Ashgabat, DAS Krol met
the GOTX's Head of the Institute of Democracy and Human
Rights Shirin Akhmedova. The meeting focused on the
Institute's adherence to directives by President
Berdimuhamedov and a long list of laws the GOTX is working on
related to democracy and human rights. Akhmedova lamented
that few outside Turkmenistan realize how much the GOTX has
done to support democracy and human rights, giving all the
credit to President Berdimuhamedov. She underscored that
Turkmenistan is a relatively young democracy, admitting there
are problems with establishing and implementing new laws.
She suggested that international organizations might be able
to conduct prison visits in the future, but to date the GOTX
has not granted non-Turkmen organizations access. She
asserted that strengthening national laws was the key to
minimizing problems with child labor abuses, religious
intolerance, and other potential human rights violations,
noting that work on implementation of those laws must proceed
after the adoption of new laws. END SUMMARY.

CREATING NEW LAWS


2. (C) On November 17, DAS Krol met with the Head of the
State Institute of Democracy and Human Rights under the
President of Turkmenistan Shirin Akhmedova, who immediately
launched into a lengthy list of laws and international
conferences with which the GOTX was involved. According to
Akhmedova, the Institute works closely with other Turkmen
ministries and departments in addition to collaborating with
international organizations such as OSCE and the EU in order
to draft much-needed laws pertaining to workers rights,
children's and women's rights and human rights in general.
She explained that the main reason for these new laws was
because current laws were drafted during Soviet times before
Turkmenistan became an independent, democratic state.

THE LITTLE KNOWN INSTITUTE


3. (C) Akhmedova reported that during bilateral meetings in
Washington in May 2009, it became obvious to her that few
people realize that the Institute existed and how much work
her office does to promote democracy and human rights in
Turkmenistan. Since the Washington meetings, she has made a
goal to increase her Institute's participation in
international conferences and conventions in order to show
the international community how serious the GOTX takes
democracy and human rights.

TURKMEN WORKERS "SAFE" FROM ECONOMIC CRISIS


4. (C) Akhmedova opined that although many nations have had
to ensure that workers receive necessary government
assistance and subsidies as a result of the global economic
crisis, the GOTX had sufficient reserves to pay all its
workers, and more important the global economic crisis did
not affect Turkmenistan. She credited the Turkmen president
with the foresight to ensure that the Turkmen budget was
insulated from negative global economic impacts, highlighting
that no Turkmen governmental employee has missed a paycheck.
She added that in April of 2009, a new Labor Code was passed
and implementation of labor laws that better corresponded to
a market economy began in July. She asserted that the new
Labor Code was founded on the "highest international labor
standards."

LAWS AND IMPLEMENTATION


5. (C) After Akhmedova finished her lengthy list of the
Institute's accomplishments, DAS Krol asked her to comment on
the GOTX's ability to implement laws, especially those laws

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that meet international rights standards. Akhmedova admitted
that implementation is a problem, but held that the Turkmen
president's strong support for laws that protect Turkmen
citizens will ensure that laws are ultimately implemented.
She added that the "active Turkmen Parliament" works closely
with her Institute to enact much-needed laws. She
acknowledged that training provided by international
organizations has helped Turkmenistan immensely. She
maintained that information regarding all government programs
for increasing democracy and human rights programs are well
known throughout the country, and are frequently mentioned on
all state media.

PRISON VISITS IN THE FUTURE?


6. (C) When asked about access to Turkmen prisons by
international, humanitarian organizations like the
International Committee of the Red Cross, Akhmedova said that
dialogue between this organization and the GOTX continues.
To date, this organization does not have permission to access
and monitor prisons, but the Institute continues to
collaborate with the Turkmen Ministry of Internal Affairs,
the Prosecutor General's Office, and outside legal experts
for recommendations in order to revise the current Turkmen
Criminal Code. Akhmedova did not state when ICRC
representatives would have access to a Turkmen prison.

CHILD LABOR


7. (C) According to Akhmedova, strong support from President
Berdimuhamedov and the Parliament had helped Turkmenistan to
dramatically decrease any child labor violations throughout
the country. She credited the GOTX's ability to maintain
healthy currency reserves for purchases of agricultural
equipment, which in turn has significantly decreased the need
for picking cotton by hand. GOTX participation in the Geneva
International Convention on the Rights of a Child, she added,
has resulted in the creation of laws that forbid child labor
in the country. She stressed that the GOTX has taken any
child labor violations seriously, and swift prosecution of
offenders has helped to nearly eradicate child labor.

RELIGIOUS MINORITIES


8. (C) DAS Krol also inquired about the state of religious
minorities in Turkmenistan, given media reports claiming that
certain religious groups were under pressure from the
government. Akhmedova explained that some members of
religious minorities are trying to use their religious
affiliation to avoid mandatory military service, and this is
something she personally felt was inappropriate for a citizen
of Turkmenistan to attempt to do, adding that every Turkmen
should serve in the military. She stressed that the GOTX has
partnered with the International Center for Not-for-Profit
Law (ICNL) based in D.C. to obtain recommendations for laws
concerning religious groups. She again felt that the
formation of new laws regarding religious minorities would
clear up any future "religious situations."


9. (C) COMMENT. The Turkmen Institute of Democracy and Human
Rights is an active organization. Although Akhmedova seems
dedicated to getting new laws passed, real social change will
only take place when the new laws are implemented. That will
require as yet undetected political will beginning at the top
of the government and extending throughout every layer. At
the same time, other international organizations in Ashgabat
have hailed Akhmedova as an effective proponent for democracy
and human rights given that Turkmenistan is still very much
an autocratic state. Akhmedova plans to increase the GOTX's
participation in international organizations and conventions,
which is clearly a step in the right direction. END COMMENT.


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CURRAN