On 14-15 October, 2021 the annual ODHIR/OSCE conference was held in Warsaw, Poland.
A session devoted to problems of the democratic development across the globe was held. Political analysts and human rights defenders spoke about challenges the democratic systems are confronted with as well as pressure exerted on the civil society.
A member of the coordination committee of the human rights platform “Civil solidarity” Jury Dzhibladze expressed concern over the fact that international organizations, the OSCE in particular, do not use all opportunities for the dialogue with representatives of the civil society, as well as the promotion of democratic values and civil rights when working with governments of some countries, which “are not only clamping down on activists but are waging a war against them”.
The discussion with the meeting participants was followed by a Q&A session where they could put forward proposals for the OSCE.Among them were Turkmen activists, human rights defenders and opposition members, including a representative of the Turkmen Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights Annadurdy Khadjiev, an activist Chemen Ore, Chairperson of the opposition movement “The Democratic Choice of Turkmenistan” Murad Kurbanov and Chairperson of the Association of Oghuz Culture Nurmukhamed Annayev.
The activists reminded of the political prisoners Omruzak Omarkuliev, Mansur Mingelov, Khursanay Ismatullayeva, Pyramberdy Allaberdyev and Nurgeldy Khalykov, spoke about persecution of Turkmen activists in Turkey and the fact that the Tuurkmen authorities do not allow Turkmen nationals stranded abroad to enter their home country.
A proposal was made to set up and use economic leverages to exert pressure on the Turkmen government.
Jury Dzhibladze commented on remarks and answered the questions agreeing with the problems which had been brought up. According to him, the OSCE does have tools for influence but they are not used to the full extent. For instance, in 2003 the so-called Moscow Mechanism was used against Turkmenistan, which could be used again.
Economic leverages fall outside the competence of the OSCE but they could be used more effectively in bilateral relations. The progress with regard to the human rights situation must be one of the conditions for signing various intergovernmental agreements pertaining to economy and finance.
As regards persecution of activists in Turkey, it all depends on the Turkish authorities but international pressure can also play a crucial role, which was the case with Dursoltan Taganova.The post At the human rights conference Turkmen activists call on the OSCE to exert more pressure on the authorities of Turkmenistan first appeared on Chronicles of Turkmenistan.