Authorities Detain Soltan Achilova to Prevent Her from Traveling Abroad
Turkmenistan’s authorities have gone to extreme lengths to stop veteran human rights defender, Soltan Achilova, from traveling abroad. Achilova, 75, was scheduled to travel to Geneva for events hosted by the Martin Ennals Foundation, honoring her achievements. But at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the morning of her planned departure, four men in laboratory coats showed up at her apartment in Ashgabat, the country’s capital, claimed they suspected she had an infectious disease, forcibly bundled her into an ambulance, and took her to a hospital for infectious diseases.
Farid Tuhbatullin, a Vienna-based human rights defender who works closely with Achilova and spoke with her several times throughout the day she was detained, said that when leaving the apartment, Achilova tried to lock the door. The men detaining her grabbed and confiscated her keys, telling her: “what do you need these for?”
Achilova’s daughter and son-in-law arrived at her apartment 15 minutes later to take her to the airport and found one of the lab-coat clad men still there. He claimed that since the couple had come into contact with Achilova, they too had to be tested.
At the hospital, staff took blood from Achilova but offered no information on which disease she was allegedly suspected of having. Staff later told her that she tested positive and would need to remain at the hospital for an unspecified period of time.
Achilova her daughter, and son-in-law were forced to spend the night at the hospital.
The spectacle of men in white coats forcibly taking Achilova and her family to an infectious disease hospital might seem like a plot from a dystopian film, but it is the harsh reality of a government who fears a courageous woman. Turkmenistan’s authorities have a long record of interfering with freedom of movement, particularly that of people like Achilova, who are critical of the country’s severely repressive government.
Indeed it is a common occurrence for authorities at passport control to simply stop Turkmenistan citizens from leaving the country without explanation. Last year, when Achilova and her daughter tried traveling to Geneva also for a Martin Ennals event honoring her, border authorities tampered with their passports, then claimed the women could not travel as the documents were damaged.
Turkmenistan’s authorities should immediately release Achilova and her family from their arbitrary forced confinement in the hospital and allow her to travel to Geneva as planned.
Deputy Director, Europe and Central Asia Division
