(2004/C 88 E/0064)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2024/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(17 June 2003)

Subject:   Violation of freedom of worship in Turkmenistan

There are serious, continual and systematic violations of freedom of worship in Turkmenistan.

The latest of countless attacks against the Protestant church in the country happened on 31 May. Five members of the church in the city of Abadam, Nuri Berdiev, Nabat Niyazova, Guzelya Syraeva, Lyudmila Galkina and Akgulya Niyazova were taken from their homes by the local police and interrogated at length at the police station. The police also confiscated books and threatened to seize their apartment if they continued to meet there for the purposes of worship.

This attack was only the latest in a long series of acts of repression and intimidation on the part of the Turkmenistan authorities against Catholics, Protestants and Jehovah's Witnesses, none of whom are authorised to be registered with the government authorities, and their activities are considered illegal.

Furthermore, the OCSE office in the Turkmen capital has refused to comment on the reports of raids and violations of religious freedom in Turkmenistan, and Dieter Matthei, an OCSE official in Ashgabad, states that he has no information on the attacks against Protestants and that for any information about freedom of religion in Turkmenistan one should apply to the OCSE head office in Vienna.

In view of the above, can the Commission say whether it is aware of the serious, persistent and systematic violation of religious freedom in Turkmenistan and the events mentioned?

What steps will it take or request in order to exert pressure on the Turkmenistan authorities to ensure that religious freedom is guaranteed in the country?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(16 July 2003)

The Commission is very concerned about the difficulties faced by religious groups which wish to establish themselves in Turkmenistan.

While the Constitution of Turkmenistan ensures religious freedom, the law implementing the Constitution requires all religious groups to register officially and do so with the support of 500 signatures of citizens over 18 years old. The law effectively restricts all religious activity other than Sunni Islam and the Russian Orthodox Church.

There is at present no formal bilateral framework for discussing these matters between EU institutions and Turkmen authorities since our Trade and Cooperation Agreement does not cover issues of human rights.

However, the Commission is working actively with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions on promoting human rights in Turkmenistan.