As reported by Radio Free Europe, during the previous regime most of the trials
of journalists, government opponents, or any person who was considered a ‘‘threat’’
to the regime were held in secrecy. 31 Under Niyazov, repression of dissenters in Turkmenistan often involved beatings, threats, and arrests. 32 The current president has
granted amnesty to many dissidents and journalists who were jailed by the Niyazov
regime. 33 However, in spite of the few positive steps taken by President Berdymukhamedov, media groups continue to place Turkmenistan among the ‘‘ten worst countries
to be a blogger’’ because of the lack of guarantees for freedom of expression. 34
Surveillance
In Turkmenistan, few users with access to the Internet are able to read English. Accordingly, only information in Russian disseminated on the Internet might raise serious
concerns for the regime. Nonetheless, the preferred method of limiting information
on the Internet is simply blocking undesirable content. Such a policy, documented
during Niyazov’s reign, is still in place.
Reporters Without Borders has declared Turkmenistan, along with Belarus and Uzbekistan, an ‘‘Enemy of the Internet,’’ because of a combination of monitoring Internet
browsing, filtering Web content, imprisonment, harassment, and the prevention of the
posting of political materials. 35
The Turkmen government maintains tight control on the flow of information
through the official mass media. Any dissident criticizing the lack of expression and
tight censorship is likely to be included in the government-held blacklist, which can
restrict the right to travel abroad. 36 Authorities remain hostile to religious sects, and
unregistered religious groups are still not allowed to perform religious activities. The
government is also engaged in a long-standing practice of deporting citizens belonging
to different religious sects. 37 There has been no stark change in the monitoring and
interception of communications over the last two years. Sensitive issues such as discrimination against women, terrorism, religious extremism, and separatism are still
censored by the government. Because of the overall restrictive climate, people commit
themselves to broad self-censorship.
There are reports that Turkmenistan’s security services have put into place a system for
Internet surveillance of all ISPs throughout the country. 38 The OpenNet Initiative suspects that an automatic Internet surveillance and filtering system based on deeppacket-inspection technology has been installed on TurkmenTelecom routers. Since all
incoming and outgoing information passes through TurkmenTelecom systems, Internet
traffic can easily be intercepted. Any traffic can be monitored by authorities, and certain preselected Web sites containing information that could be harmful to the regime
are filtered. Other reports confirm that users can be identified if they send encrypted
messages and materials containing certain keywords, such as the president’s name. 39
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Turkmenistan
of journalists, government opponents, or any person who was considered a ‘‘threat’’
to the regime were held in secrecy. 31 Under Niyazov, repression of dissenters in Turkmenistan often involved beatings, threats, and arrests. 32 The current president has
granted amnesty to many dissidents and journalists who were jailed by the Niyazov
regime. 33 However, in spite of the few positive steps taken by President Berdymukhamedov, media groups continue to place Turkmenistan among the ‘‘ten worst countries
to be a blogger’’ because of the lack of guarantees for freedom of expression. 34
Surveillance
In Turkmenistan, few users with access to the Internet are able to read English. Accordingly, only information in Russian disseminated on the Internet might raise serious
concerns for the regime. Nonetheless, the preferred method of limiting information
on the Internet is simply blocking undesirable content. Such a policy, documented
during Niyazov’s reign, is still in place.
Reporters Without Borders has declared Turkmenistan, along with Belarus and Uzbekistan, an ‘‘Enemy of the Internet,’’ because of a combination of monitoring Internet
browsing, filtering Web content, imprisonment, harassment, and the prevention of the
posting of political materials. 35
The Turkmen government maintains tight control on the flow of information
through the official mass media. Any dissident criticizing the lack of expression and
tight censorship is likely to be included in the government-held blacklist, which can
restrict the right to travel abroad. 36 Authorities remain hostile to religious sects, and
unregistered religious groups are still not allowed to perform religious activities. The
government is also engaged in a long-standing practice of deporting citizens belonging
to different religious sects. 37 There has been no stark change in the monitoring and
interception of communications over the last two years. Sensitive issues such as discrimination against women, terrorism, religious extremism, and separatism are still
censored by the government. Because of the overall restrictive climate, people commit
themselves to broad self-censorship.
There are reports that Turkmenistan’s security services have put into place a system for
Internet surveillance of all ISPs throughout the country. 38 The OpenNet Initiative suspects that an automatic Internet surveillance and filtering system based on deeppacket-inspection technology has been installed on TurkmenTelecom routers. Since all
incoming and outgoing information passes through TurkmenTelecom systems, Internet
traffic can easily be intercepted. Any traffic can be monitored by authorities, and certain preselected Web sites containing information that could be harmful to the regime
are filtered. Other reports confirm that users can be identified if they send encrypted
messages and materials containing certain keywords, such as the president’s name. 39
244
Turkmenistan