Urgent Action Success

20 March 2006

Further Information on UA 58/06 (issued 17 March 2006)
Fear of torture or ill-treatment/incommunicado detention/prisoners
of conscience

TURKMENISTAN:

Dzhumadurdy OVEZOV (m), 54, journalist
Meretmuhammet KHOMMADOV (m), 54, journalist
The Prague office of the US-funded Radio Liberty has reported
that Dzhumadurdy Ovezov and Meretmuhammet Khommadov
were released on 17 March.

The two journalists for Radio Liberty were arrested on 7 March
and held incommunicado at an unknown location. As international
pressure calling for their release grew, the Turkmenistan
authorities reportedly informed the Representative on Freedom of
the Media for the international non-governmental organization, the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE),
that the two were arrested for ''hooliganism'' and sentenced to 15
days' community service. However, there are strong indications
that the two were arrested as a punishment for their peaceful
exercise of the right to freedom of expression, and in order to
prevent them from passing on information about Turkmenistan to
other countries. Before they were released, security officers
reportedly forced Dzhumadurdy Ovezov and Meretmuhammet
Khommadov to sign papers stating that they would stop working
for Radio Liberty.

No further action is required. Amnesty International believes that
international pressure, including from the UA network, played an
important role in securing the release of Dzhumadurdy Ovezov and
Meretmuhammet Khommadov. Thanks to all who sent appeals.
Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
PO Box 1270
Nederland CO 80466-1270
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 303 258 1170
Fax: 303 258 7881