A lawyer from Balkanabad Pygambergeldy Allaberdyev, sentenced on September 5, 2020 to 6 years in prison on a trumped-up case of hooliganism (in fact, he was arrested on suspicion of contacts with foreign Turkmen activists) was pardoned on December 10, 2022. Shortly before his release on November 25, 2022, an employee of the Ministry of National Security came to him to the Akdash colony, introduced himself as Oraz and informed him that he would be prohibited from leaving the country for five years.
Upon returning home, district police officer Maksat Mergenov was waiting for him at the station in Balkanabat, who took him to the city police department. The district police officer and deputy police chief Meilis Agoylyev warned him of the ban on traveling abroad and the need to regularly report to the police. Allaberdyev recalled that both articles of the Criminal Code under which he was accused (Article 108 Part 2 and Article 279 Part 3) do not provide for administrative supervision over those released. Supervision is established over repeat offenders and persons who have committed serious crimes. But the police referred to instructions from management. At the same time, he was not provided with any document on restriction of freedom of movement. Since then, Allaberdyev has been trying to restore his rights.
After his release, he sent dozens of letters to the Ombudsman, the Prosecutor General's Office, the Ministry of National Security, the Migration Service and the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
The responses received from the Prosecutor General's Office and the Ministry of National Security stated that his complaint had been forwarded to the district police officer. In this regard, Allaberdyev, in the letter addressed to the President, asks the question: «Is it really possible that in our country the local police officer is now responsible for the actions of the Ministry of National Security, the migration service and the investigative authorities?»
Since no responses were received to other requests, he wrote a statement to the Main Post Office, in which he indicated that on May 17 he sent a letter to the President, and on July 20 to the Ombudsman, and asked to answer whether these letters reached the addressees. After several reminders, a response came from the Main Post Office, dated August 29, that allegedly “due to technical problems, the letters did not reach the recipients” and the amount paid for the services would be returned to the sender!
On August 14, Allaberdyev sent telegrams this time to the Ombudsman and the President of Turkmenistan. He received notification of the delivery of the telegram to the Ombudsman. There is still no notification from the Presidential Administration. On the same day, his wife also sent a letter to the President. On August 24, Allaberdyev again sent a telegram addressed to the Ombudsman, where he described all the troubles, calling for intervention in the situation. On August 29, he received a response signed by Ya.Gurbannazarova, which stated that the competence of the Ombudsman does not include the problems he described!? At the end of the letter, he was recommended to contact the migration service, which he did again on September 19.
In the meantime, administrative supervision over Allaberdyev remains; the district police officer continues to mark his location at the place of registration.
In his statements to official bodies, Allaberdyev asks to ensure his right to freedom of movement and to be reinstated in his previous job or provided with a full-fledged replacement. His minor daughter, his wife, who is undergoing surgery, and his blind 78-year-old father are all depended on him. Allaberdiyev himself has chronic hypertension; he previously regularly traveled to Iran for treatment (now these trips are impossible due to the travel ban). His attempts to get a job as a lawyer while serving his sentence are met with refusal everywhere. Now he is trying to start a small business, which also requires freedom of movement.
Turkmen Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
