Turkmen president pardons more than 1,000 prisoners
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 27 October 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Turkmen president pardons more than 1,000 prisoners, 27 October 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56813cb415.html [accessed 4 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
October 27, 2015
State media in Turkmenistan are reporting that some 1,020 prisoners have been pardoned by President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.
State media quotes Berdymukhammedov as saying the amnesty was linked to the 24th anniversary of the Central Asian nation's independence, which is marked on October 27.
According to the reports, Berdymukhammedov signed the decree on amnesty on October 26 "following a long-established noble tradition" at the joint session of the cabinet and the State Security Council.
Before Berdymukhammedov's presidency, his predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov, issued similar amnesty decrees once a year, in the holy month of Ramadan.
Berdymukhammedov has issued such decrees several times a year, usually on the eve of state holidays. His last clemency, announced in May, pardoned 1,200 inmates on the eve of the Constitution Day, marked in Turkmenistan on May 18.
Based on reports by turkmenistan.gov.tm and Interfax
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
