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TKM14708-070907
TURKMENISTAN: Conscientious objector Begench Shakhmuradov to be tried on 10 September
Amnesty International reports that conscientious objector Begench
Shakhmuradov, a Jehovah's Witness, is to be tried for refusing to serve
in the army on 10 September 2007. Begench Shakhmuradov was called up
for military service in May 2007, and was deemed fit for military
service, although he suffers from tuberculosis which he contracted
while serving a prison sentence in 2005 for "evasion of call-up for
military service" (see co-alert, 18/02/2005).
He had been sentenced to one year imprisonment on 10 February 2005.
Following a presidential decree, Begench Shakhmuradov and three other
imprisoned conscientious objectors were released on 16 April 2005,
allegedly to avoid that Turkmenistan to be classified as a "country of
particular concern" under the USA's International Religious Freedom Act.
The new trial is part of a new wave of arrests and prosecutions of
conscientious objectors in Turkmenistan (see co-update, September 2007), and
gives reason for grave concerns. Many of the conscientious objectors
recently (re-)arrested already served prison sentences for the refusal
to serve in the military.
Turkmenistan is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights. The right to conscientious objection is derived
from Article 18 of the Covenant, and has recently been clarified by the
UN Human Rights Committee, in a decision on two individual complaints
from South Korea (see co-update, February 2007). This
also applies to Turkmenistan.
War Resisters' International calls for the protest letters to the
Turkmen authorities, and Turkmen embassies abroad.
Kurbanguly BERDYMUHAMMEDOV
President of Turkmenistan
Apparat Prezidenta
744000 Ashgabat
TURKMENISTAN
Fax: +993 12 355112
Rashid Meredov
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Magtymkuli ave., 85
744000 Ashgabat
Email mfatm@online.tm
A protest email can be sent at http://wri-irg.org/co/alerts/20070907a.html.
War Resisters' International calls for the immediate release of
Begench Shakhmuradov and all other imprisoned conscientious objectors.
Andreas Speck
War Resisters' International
wri-irg.org