Turkmenistan’s Public Association Law Under Fire: Restrictive Measures Criticized

Freedom of Association Under Threat

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan - The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has released a scathing report criticizing Turkmenistan’s Public Associations Law for its restrictive measures on freedom of association.

Discriminatory Provisions

The report highlights several issues with the law, including:

• Article 5, paragraph 7: Only non-citizens are allowed to join international public associations. This provision is deemed discriminatory and unjustified, as it denies citizens of Turkmenistan the right to freely join international public associations.
• Article 15, paragraph 1: Restricts the ability of non-citizens to be founders of public associations in Turkmenistan.

Recommendations

To address these issues, the ODIHR recommends:

• Amending Article 5, paragraph 7, to allow both citizens and non-citizens to join international public associations.
• Amending Article 15, paragraph 1, to allow non-citizens to be founders of public associations in Turkmenistan.
• Adding an express provision to guarantee that public associations can operate in other territories beyond where they are registered.
• Reviewing the minimum membership requirements for international and national public associations to ensure compliance with international standards.

Conclusion

The OSCE ODIHR concludes that Turkmenistan’s Public Associations Law needs significant revisions to ensure that it aligns with international standards on freedom of association. The report calls upon the government to take these recommendations seriously and work towards creating a more inclusive and liberal environment for public associations in Turkmenistan.