皇冠体育app

Overall, the pace of reform in Turkmenistan remains slow, though there have been some positive developments in the period April to June, including constructive engagement with international bodies such as the UN and the Organisation for Security & Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

皇冠体育app British Embassy in Ashgabat concluded a number of human rights projects in March. 皇冠体育app embassy worked through the UN Development Programme (UNDP) on initiatives to encourage greater political and human rights reform. 皇冠体育app main project focused on enhancing electoral administration processes through a series of capacity-building activities targeting election officials, mass media, women candidates, and observers. It sought to increase public awareness of elections, political parties and public organisations. 皇冠体育app second project with UNDP supported the development of Turkmenistan鈥檚 National Human Rights Action Plan, which is due to be published before the end of 2014. 皇冠体育app plan should incorporate action points arising from Turkmenistan鈥檚 last year. In the meantime, the UN continues to work with Turkmenistan on its reform agenda.

皇冠体育app embassy also conducted a project though the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and Penal Reform International (PRI). This entailed a visit at the end of March by senior law-enforcement officials from Turkmenistan to learn about prison management in the UK. 皇冠体育app Turkmen delegation visited HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the National Offender Management Service, as well as a number of prisons. Participants discussed PRI鈥檚 work on torture prevention, complaints and inspection mechanisms, criminal justice issues and penal reform, as well as offender rehabilitation and treatments for drug-users in prison. 皇冠体育app programme included training sessions, presentations and roundtable discussions on best practice.

皇冠体育app OSCE Centre has worked with the government of Turkmenistan on a number of other important initiatives. It organised a training course at the end of May on international standards on freedom of religion or belief. 皇冠体育app three-day event 鈥� led by two international experts from the UK 鈥� brought together 23 participants, including members of Turkmenistan鈥檚 parliament (Mejlis), representatives of the Council of Religious Affairs, the National Institute of Democracy & Human Rights, as well as officials from law enforcement bodies. 皇冠体育app course introduced participants to the main treaties and standards on freedom of religion or belief and the social, political and human context of implementing such instruments.

皇冠体育app OSCE Centre has also continued to support the modernisation of Turkmenistan鈥檚 media laws. It organized a two-day event in June to provide further assistance in drafting national legislation on internet regulation in compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards. This builds on the declaration adopted by participants of the 14th Central Asia Media Conference in Ashgabat in 2012 (held with financial support from the UK), which highlighted the opportunities offered by the internet and its important role as a tool to seek, receive, produce and distribute information.

皇冠体育app European Union raised human rights in its response to a presentation at the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on 29 May by the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, Ambassador Petrov. 皇冠体育app EU reiterated its commitment to support Turkmenistan in its democratic and socio-economic reform process, and appreciated Turkmenistan鈥檚 expressed commitment to comply with international human rights standards. 皇冠体育app EU noted, however, an enduring gap between the legislative framework in Turkmenistan and its practical implementation. 皇冠体育app EU expressed deep concern about civil society and human rights defenders in Turkmenistan and urged the Turkmen authorities to comply fully with international commitments regarding freedom of association, including in respect of NGO regulation and facilitating access for international NGOs. 皇冠体育app EU appealed to the Turkmen authorities to participate in the annual OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw, and to engage with civil society, including on issues such as the 鈥淧rove 皇冠体育appy Are Alive Campaign鈥� (which was highlighted in our update for the period January to March 2014).

皇冠体育app EU also called on Turkmenistan to implement recommendations in the by the OSCE鈥檚 Centre for Democratic Institutions & Human Rights (ODIHR) on the 2013 parliamentary election. This report outlined recommendations to help Turkmenistan improve its electoral system, and made clear OSCE鈥檚 readiness to assist the authorities in following up on those recommendations. Ambassador Keltchewsky of France, who led ODIHR鈥檚 Election Assessment Mission, visited Turkmenistan at the end of May for discussions with officials from Turkmenistan鈥檚 parliament on the scope for further co-operation on electoral reform. 皇冠体育app full text of the EU鈥檚 statement can be found here.