A group of Turkmen nationals residing in Turkey have filed a lawsuit against former Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov and other top officials of the extremely isolated and tightly controlled Central Asian nation, accusing them of violating their human rights.
The group's legal representative, Turkish lawyer Gulden Sonmez, said in a video posted online that he filed the lawsuit with a court in Istanbul on June 21.
Along with Berdymukhammedov, Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and Interior Minister Muhammet Hydyrov are named in the lawsuit.
Speaking in front of the courthouse, Sonmez said that his clients also are accusing Turkmen authorities of human rights abuses including arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, torture, and ill treatment at penitentiaries.
"We added to the lawsuit numerous pictures, documents, names of Turkmen citizens who died in custody, the testimonies of Turkmen men and women who faced abuses from authorities, the testimonies of Turkmen nationals residing in Turkey who are unable to obtain documents such as passports, birth or marriage certificates from Turkmenistan's consulates in this country," Sonmez said.
Ten of Sonmez's clients rallied in front of the court's building, holding posters saying "The state should serve people," "Face the people," "Freedom of movement is our right," and "We have the right to have passports."
For many years, Turkmen citizens residing in Turkey have faced problems with renewing their passports and obtaining documents required by Turkish immigration authorities.
Turkmen nationals permanently residing in Turkey have also complained that they have been subjected to various pressure methods applied by Turkmen authorities in Turkey.
Turkmenistan is one of the most repressive countries in the world.
Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov ruled the former Soviet republic with an iron fist from 2006 until his 40-year-old son Serdar took over in March this year.
Last year, dozens of Turkmen activists residing abroad held protests in Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, to bring attention to the situation regarding human rights and civil freedoms in Turkmenistan.