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Right Advocates Call to Free All Political Prisoners in Turkmenistan
Global organizations of right advocates called on the new authorities of Turkmenistan to free all political prisoners and journalists jailed in time of Saparmurat Niyazov, Radio Liberty reported.
Turkmenistan has roughly 4,000 political prisoners now, according to the Helsinki Group.
Turkmenbashi Saparmurat Niyazov, 66, died in Ashkhabad at night to December 21 from the cardiac arrest. He had been in power since 1985, having advanced to the president-for-life status in 2005.
Deputy Prime Minister Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov was named acting president yesterday and chaired the funeral commission for Niyazov.
Under the laws of Turkmenistan, Parliament Speaker Ovezgeldy Ataev was to take over the country, but Ataev had been arrested a day before. Turkmen prosecutors brought in a criminal action against Ataev, Berdymukhammedov announced.
Acting President Berdymukhammedov addressed the nation late December 21. He vowed to stick to the policy of Turkmenbashi based on neutrality, good neighborhood, mutual respect of the parties, equality and mutually advantageous cooperation with all states of the world. Turkmenistan will continue executing its international commitments under the U.N. resolution, bilateral and multilateral treaties, Berdymukhammedov said.
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