Turkmenistan’s Department for the Enforcement of Sentences has stated that there are no legal grounds for the early release of activist Mansur Mingelov. The agency rejected a petition filed by his relatives despite his severe medical condition, according to turkmen.news.
In September, Mingelov’s family appealed to the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Interior Ministry, requesting that his release procedure be initiated in light of his diagnosis of a severe form of bone tuberculosis. They referred to Article 76 (“Release from Punishment Due to Serious Illness”) of Turkmenistan’s Criminal Code and Article 166 (“Grounds for Release from Serving a Sentence”) of the Penal Enforcement Code, where “serious illness” is listed under the sixth provision.
The defense also cited a presidential decree of May 11, 2017, which approved the list of illnesses qualifying for release under these provisions. In the summer of 2024, a Health Ministry commission confirmed that Mingelov suffers from tuberculous arthritis in both knees and noted that such conditions cannot be treated inside the country.
The family received a general response from the department on October 20. The letter stated that officials had “reviewed all evidence” and concluded that it “does not meet the requirements of Turkmenistan’s current legislation.”
Earlier, Turkmenistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Vepa Khadzhiev, publicly acknowledged Mingelov’s diagnosis. He confirmed that national legislation allows for the release of prisoners with severe medical conditions by court decision, and that judicial proceedings begin only after a joint submission from the supervisory commission and the agency responsible for enforcing sentences.
Mingelov, 50, is currently held in the MR-B/15 prison hospital.
Born in Mary Province, Mansur Mingelov is known for defending the rights of ethnic Baloch communities. He was first detained in June 2012 on suspicion of involvement in drug trafficking but was released two weeks later due to lack of evidence. During the arrest, he suffered a broken leg.
After his release, Mingelov documented cases of torture and electric shocks used against minority representatives and filed formal complaints. Shortly afterward, he was arrested again. Later that year, a court sentenced him to 22 years in prison on charges including smuggling and distributing pornography. Human rights organizations consider the case entirely fabricated.
In 2018, Mingelov was diagnosed with tuberculosis complicated by osteomyelitis. He has repeatedly faced threats of being transferred back to a maximum-security colony for refusing leg amputation. In 2024, an Interior Ministry medical commission confirmed that although Turkmenistan cannot treat this condition, amputation is not the only option — his leg could be saved in a foreign clinic.
