Photo: turkmen.news
On September 16, a court in Turkmenabad sentenced civil activist Murat Dushemov to eight years in prison in connection with an alleged assault on an inmate at LB-E/12 colony in the city of Seydi, Lebap Province, where the inmate was serving a prior sentence, reports turkmen.news.
According to the outlet, the complaint against Dushemov was filed by a prisoner considered part of the so-called “grievance group” who cooperates with the prison administration. The investigation claimed that Dushemov allegedly beat the inmate a few days before the end of his main sentence. During the trial, the activist, through a state-appointed lawyer, denied the charges and asserted that the inmate had struck his own head against the wall in his presence.
The trial was held behind closed doors. The inmate’s mother received notice of the proceedings only the day before and attempted to attend but was denied entry by the judge.
Prior to his detention, Dushemov ran a video blog addressing social issues. He was first detained following the publication of a video on mandatory vaccination in Turkmenistan and later arrested for 15 days for refusing to present a certificate proving he was coronavirus-free at a police checkpoint. Subsequent charges included allegedly demanding a bribe from a hospital director to refrain from publishing videos about vaccination. In August 2021, Dushemov was sentenced to four years in prison for extortion and intentional bodily harm, based on a prison fight that rights groups say was orchestrated to pressure him.
In 2023, Dushemov and three other political prisoners wrote to the UN office in Turkmenistan, seeking protection from legal abuse. Human Rights Watch called on Turkmen authorities to release Dushemov immediately, highlighting that his sentence stemmed from judicial missteps linked to his peaceful activism and human rights work.
Dushemov was originally due for release on June 14, 2025. However, a new complaint by a cellmate alleging that Dushemov broke his arm led to a new criminal case, and the activist was transferred to Turkmenabad pre-trial detention. His family was not informed of his whereabouts, and his mother was denied any visitation. Rights groups report that the family was monitored, phones were tapped, and relatives were repeatedly summoned to police stations. Dushemov’s sister and brother were placed on a “no-exit” list.
