The European Union and Turkmenistan held their seventeenth annual Human Rights Dialogue on 17 June in Brussels.
According to the Delegation of the European Union to Turkmenistan, discussions took place in an open and constructive atmosphere. The agenda contained a broad range of topics, including rule of law, fundamental freedoms, and gender equality. The EU also raised Human Rights Defenders’ cases during the dialogue. A list of individual cases of concern was handed over to the Turkmen side. The EU underlined that the respect for human rights remains a key guiding principle for the development of the bilateral relations, and both parties agreed to continue strengthening their cooperation on this basis.
The EU welcomed the constructive cooperation between Turkmenistan and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to address forced and child labour, including the approval of a Roadmap for Cooperation (2024-2025). The EU also welcomed the efforts of the Office of the Ombudsperson to obtain accreditation by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and commended Turkmenistan on becoming the second country in the world to eradicate all known cases of statelessness.
Turkmenistan informed about plans to implement the country’s human rights commitments on women’s rights, rights of the child and rights of persons with disabilities. Turkmenistan presented the latest developments in the field of economic, social and cultural rights.
The EU urged Turkmenistan to adopt effective anti-discrimination measures and to continue efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence, including through the criminalisation of domestic violence. The EU also called for the de-criminalisation of consenting same-sex relations.
Serious concerns about conditions of detention of persons deprived of liberty, including torture and ill-treatment, were raised during the dialogue. The EU also called on Turkmenistan for consistent cooperation with civil society on issues of enforced disappearances and for granting unhindered access for the International Committee of the Red Cross to detention facilities.
The EU reiterated the importance of freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of movement, freedom of association, the right to information and independent media. The EU stressed the need to ensure affordable and unrestricted internet access for all Turkmen citizens. The EU encouraged Turkmenistan to take further steps in ensuring a safe and enabling environment for civil society.
The EU encouraged Turkmenistan to implement the recent recommendations from the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and from the Universal Periodic Review. The EU underlined the importance of establishing a plan with concrete dates to facilitate visits by all UN special procedures who have requested to visit Turkmenistan.
The EU delegation was led by Dietmar Krissler, Head of the Central Asia Division of the European External Action Service. The Turkmen delegation was led by Ahmed Gurbanov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The Ombudswoman of Turkmenistan, Yazdursun Gurbannazarova, and the Deputy Minister of Education of Turkmenistan, Azat Atayev, participated in the Dialogue.
The next Dialogue is scheduled to take place in Ashgabat in 2026.
