ASHGABAT -- In an apparent move to curb the presence of Turkmen human rights activists in Turkey, Ashgabat has officially asked Ankara to "temporarily" require visas for Turkmen nationals.
In an official statement issued over the weekend, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said the move was made "to improve and systematize regulations for the stay of Turkmen citizens in the Republic of Turkey."
Currently, Turkmen citizens can stay in Turkey without a visa for 30 days. However, it is easy for Turkmen to extend their legal stay in the country by obtaining work permits or long-term visas while in the country.
According to the Turkish State Migration Service, as of September 1, there were about 230,000 Turkmen citizens permanently residing in the country. However, many unofficial sources say the number may be several times higher as there are many illegal Turkmen immigrants there.
The Turkmen Foreign Ministry's request comes less than three months after a group of Turkmen nationals in Turkey filed a lawsuit against former Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov and other top officials of the isolated and tightly controlled Central Asian nation, accusing them of violating their human rights.
Last month, five Turkmen rights activists were attacked on the territory of the Turkmen Consulate in Istanbul as they tried to submit a letter addressed to President Serdar Berdymukhammedov to protest the human rights situation in the energy-rich former Soviet republic.
For many years, Turkmen citizens residing in Turkey have faced problems renewing their Turkmen passports and obtaining documents required by Turkish immigration authorities.
Turkmen nationals permanently residing in Turkey have also complained that they have been subjected to pressure by Turkmen authorities in Turkey.
Turkmenistan is one of the most repressive countries in the world.
In 2020, dozens of Turkmen activists residing abroad staged protests in Turkey, the United States, and the European Union to urge the international community to pay more attention to the situation regarding human rights and civil liberties in Turkmenistan.