ASHGABAT - The International Partnership for Human Rights and the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights have called on the European Union to take a more principled stance in its dialogue with Turkmenistan on human rights issues, Hronikatm.tm reports.
In a joint briefing prepared for the EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights Dialogue, which will take place on June 22 in Ashgabat, the human rights activists highlighted key problems in the country. These include restrictions on media freedom and internet censorship, a lack of conditions for independent civic activism, the persecution of critics, impunity for torture, and women's rights violations.
The organizations called on the EU to press the Turkmen authorities to take concrete steps to protect fundamental freedoms and implement UN human rights recommendations.
They also emphasized that further development of relations between the EU and Turkmenistan, including a partnership and cooperation agreement, must be contingent on real progress in the field of human rights.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
May 28, 2026