Turkmenistan: Freedom of religion or belief

Religious freedom violations have long been widespread throughout the country. The current Religion Law, which came into force on 12 April 2016, contradicts the freedoms set out in the constitution, while all religious activity is monitored closely by such institutions as the police, the secret police and the Justice Ministry.

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Turkmenistan: Freedom of religion or belief

The Turkmen constitution guarantees freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) to all citizens, in Article 12:

Each person independently determines his attitude toward religion, has the right to, individually or jointly with others, profess any religion or none, to express and disseminate beliefs related to attitude toward religion, to participate in religious observances, rituals, and ceremonies.

Turkmenistan has also undertaken international obligations to protect FoRB. However, in practice, Turkmenistan is not a rule of law state. Officials behave arbitrarily with little fear of prosecution; and as such the government fails to protect or promote religious freedom for its citizens, rather making it as difficult as possible for people to practise their faith.

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Published Online

6 February 2017

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