Turkmenistan: Under scrutiny - Prison conditions, gender-based violence, and lack of transparency

The country rapporteurs were Mr. Todd Buchwald and Mr. Huawen Liu.

The delegation of Turkmenistan was led by H.E. Mr. Vepa Hajiyev, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Main Issues Discussed:

After addressing a pattern of enforced disappearances, the Committee raised deep concerns over the treatment of prisoners, including the use of prolonged solitary confinement and the persistent absence of basic safeguards like legal representation and medical care. It also highlighted the absence of independent and impartial monitoring of detention facilities, the lack of judicial independence, and the failure to investigate and prosecute those responsible for cases of torture and ill-treatment. The Committee urged Turkmenistan not only to address legal gaps but also to ensure that rights are effectively upheld in practice.

Gender-based violence was another pressing issue during the sessions. The Committee condemned Turkmenistan’s restrictive abortion laws that may lead to cruel, inhuman treatment, citing the short five-week legal window, high costs, and limited access to contraception, which push women toward unsafe practices. The Committee called for legal reform and a rights-based approach, stressing the need to protect healthcare providers from reprisals. It also expressed concern over the continued criminalisation of homosexuality and reports of police abuse, urging measures to uphold the rights of LGBTQ+ persons.

The Committee questioned the persistent lack of transparency in Turkmenistan, citing threats against human rights defenders and journalists, as well as the country’s limited cooperation with international bodies, including the ICRC. It asked whether national action plans, international reports, and future concluding observations would be made publicly accessible in national languages. Throughout the sessions, the Committee repeatedly stressed the urgent need for disaggregated statistical data, underscoring its critical role in identifying systemic issues and supporting effective oversight and dialogue.

The CAT’s recommendations are available here.

Follow-up Recommendations

The State party should provide information by the 2nd of May 2026 on the implementation of recommendations regarding:

• Renouncement of any use of torture and ill-treatment, and incommunicado detention.

• Provision of detailed information to the Committee on the fate and whereabouts of all individuals that have been reported as being suspected of being disappeared.

• Effective implementation of the recommendations of the Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions Subcommittee on Accreditation (SCA).

Further details, including video recordings of the sessions (part one and part two), are available for those interested in the CAT’s full review and Turkmenistan’s response to the recommendations.