TURKMENISTAN: Five conscientious objectors jailed in two days

[Isabella]

Five conscientious objectors to compulsory military service who had already served sentences were jailed again in trials on 18 and 19 January. Courts gave all five two-year terms, four of them in strict-regime labour camp, bringing to six the number jailed so far in 2021. All had offered to perform an alternative civilian service, but Turkmenistan does not offer this. Nine of the 14 known jailed conscientious objectors – all of them Jehovah's Witnesses – are serving second sentences.

In a series of trials on 18 and 19 January, courts have jailed five more conscientious objectors, all of them Jehovah's Witnesses. As the five young men had previously served sentences for refusing compulsory service on grounds of conscience, four of the five were given two-year terms in strict regime labour camp. All had offered to perform an alternative civilian service, but Turkmenistan does not offer this. Turkmenistan has rejected repeated United Nations calls to introduce such a service.
 

Danev District Court in Turkmenistan's eastern Lebap Region sentenced Azamatjan Narkulyev, Maksat Jumadurdiyev and Artur Yangibayev on 18 January. Danev District Court and Gurbansoltan eje District Court in the northern Dashoguz Region sentenced Veniamin Genjiyev and Ikhlosbek Rozmetov on 19 January. Three of these are aged 20, the other two are 23 (see below).

Danev District Court jailed four of the five conscientious objectors, a court official told Forum 18 on 26 January. All four have already lodged appeals. Forum 18 was unable to speak to the Judges as they was not in the building, the court official added (see below).

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2632