According to our sources and independent media in Turkmenistan, large-scale checks and arrests of citizens for disseminating information about the tragedy after the hurricane in Lebap region have been launched in the country.
According to ACCA sources in Lebap region, the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of National Security detained about 115 people (mostly women who shared videos of the tragedy). Some of the detainees were released after a few hours, and some – for a certain amount of money a few days later. Most of the detainees remain under arrest in several pre-trial detention centers in Lebap region. All detainees are charged with illegal transmission of video materials about the tragedy in Lebap after a severe hurricane. Criminal cases have already been instituted against two residents of the city of Turkmenabad under articles 192 and 212 of the Criminal Code of Turkmenistan. They face a heavy fine or imprisonment for up to 2 years. At the moment, both women are in jail LBK / 9.
According to an ACCA source in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, they received an order to minimize the possibility of leakage of information about the disastrous situation in the affected region. It is forbidden to use smartphone cameras in hospitals, in the market, in public places and in the most affected areas. Citizens’ phones are checked for photos and videos on the consequences of the hurricane. People, who have such materials on their phones, are taken into custody and sent to temporary detention facilities.
Also, information was received from other regions of Turkmenistan that people were arrested for transmitting, publishing and reposting on the Internet materials related to the hurricane and its consequences in Lebap region. In Mary region, 21 people were arrested. At the moment, 18 detainees were released and all were fined. 3 people remain in custody. In Ashgabat, 9 people were arrested, but all of them were able to go free by paying bribes.
In Balkan region, 17 people were arrested, 11 of them were fined. One of the detainees was beaten. The fate of the other 5 remains unknown.
In every way, the country’s authorities suppress the dissemination of true information, block the Internet everywhere, harass people and threaten their families. According to an ACCA source in Lebap region’s administration, all local authorities were warned of an impending disaster several hours before the storm began. However, local officials didn’t want to take responsibility because of a possible panic and didn’t inform the population about the impending hurricane in a timely manner. As a result of the negligence of local officials, more than 350 people died, more than 1400 people were injured.
Leave feedback about this