Correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” report that a female citizen of Turkmenistan is threatening to set herself and her three children on fire because she is unable to obtain residence registration in her husband’s house.
Residence registration, which is still valid in Turkmenistan, violates the rights of citizens. Without residence registration it is impossible to find accommodation, land a job, to secure a place in a kindergarten for a child or even to obtain a passport.
Annagozel K., born in 1982, had been registered in the residential district of Parakhat-1 in Ashgabat. She was employed as a nurse in one of the outpatient clinics. In 2005 she married Gurbangeldi B., born in 1980, and moved to the Magtymguly etrap, Balkan velayat.
Local residence registration is required for employment. Annagozel had cancelled her registration in Ashgabat. However, she was able to obtain only a 6 month temporary registration in the etrap. Later registration was extended for another year but after the expiry date the authorities refused to further extend it without any explanations.
Being deprived of the opportunity to find a job, Annagozel and her husband relocated to Ashgabat.Without registration in the capital, they rented an apartment in the district of Shor-Garadamak where migrant workers from provinces illegally find accommodation.
The family made a living by doing odd jobs.The woman has had three children.After a police raid the family was evicted from the apartment and the apartment owner had to pay a fine of 2300 manats.
The family had to return to Balkan velayat but they failed to obtain residence registration. The problem can be resolved by paying a bribe of $2000 through an intermediary but the family does not have this amount of money.
The husband got a job as a pomegranate picker with a wage of 25 manats per day. He can earn 750 manats per month, but the job is seasonal. The woman is desperate and said that she was ready to set herself and her children on fire.