According to reports from Istanbul, at about 20:00 yesterday, unidentified people attacked Turkmen who were leaving the office of the organization of the «Oguz Culture, Cooperation and Education Society» on Sogutlucheshme Street.

According to the Turkmen Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, two activists and a visitor to the organization were attacked. Civil activist Aziz Mamedov received strong blows to the face and a broken nose. The head of the Oguz culture society, Nurmukhamed Annayev, had his left hand injured, and his bag with his phone and documents was taken from him. The third victim (name to be confirmed) was hit by a heavy object and injured his head.

The crime is registered with the police. Doctors provided the victims with the necessary assistance.

Activists claim that one of the attackers resembles the man involved in the attack on Turkmen protesters in Istanbul on August 1. This time, according to them, he had in his hands “something metallic, like brass knuckles.”

Activists attribute the attack to Nurmukhamed Annaev's planned trip to an OSCE/ODIHR event in Warsaw on October 14-15, where he was going to criticize the Turkmen regime.

Earlier, there were reports of attempts by the Turkmen authorities to use criminal structures to crack down on dissidents and activists of the protest movement in Turkey and Central Europe.

Tajigul Begmedova, Turkmen Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights

Vitaly Ponomaryov, Human Rights Center «Memorial»