Turkmenistan: mass arrests of corrupt officials in education sector

At the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, the Prosecutor General Batyr Atdaev reported to the President on the disclosure of corruption in the Ministries of Culture and Education.

According to Atdaev, Gylych Seitnepesov, the head of the culture department of Ashgabat, was arrested and convicted for serious violation of the legitimate interests of the state and abuse of power. Also, the deputy minister of education Merdan Govshudov was convicted of corruption. He is charged with abuse of power and bribery on an especially large scale.

Govshudov accepted large amounts as a gift from the head of the education department of Ashgabat, Kakamyrat Mammedov, and protected his activities.

Sulgun Atayeva, the former rector of Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management, was also convicted. She is accused of using state property in her own interests, of illegal additional payment to her associates’ earnings. Atayeva was sentenced to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property. Four apartments, three cars, two cafes, two offices, thirteen warehouses, eleven sales outlets and one hothouse were seized from her in favor of the state. Other officials of the Ministry of Education were also prosecuted:

• Kakamurad Begnepesov, the head of the education department of Bayramali district of the education department of Mariy region, was sentenced to 10 years in prison;
• Akmurad Gurbanberdyev, the head of the education department of Vekilbazar district of Mariy region, was sentenced to 10 years in prison;
• Agadzhan Movlamberdiev, the head of the education department of Dyanev district of Lebap region, was sentenced to 10 years in prison;
• Nepesdurdy Gurbanov, the head of the education department of the city of Turkmenbashi of the education department of Balkan region, was sentenced to 10 years in prison;
• Orazgeldy Allaberdiev, the acting head of the education department of Akhal region, was sentenced to 15 years in prison;
• Nurgeldy Klychev, the acting head of the education department of Dovletli district of Lebap region, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Large sums of money, cars and some property, obtained by criminal means, were confiscated from all convicts.

Deputy Prime Minister Purli Agamuradov, who was in charge of sports, health care, education and science, was also fired, and was deprived of the post of chairman of the Extraordinary Commission of Turkmenistan to combat the spread of diseases.