Turkmenistan: Veteran Journalist Soltan Achilova Denied Exit from Turkmenistan, Faces Harassment at Airport

The autocratic regime has consistently targeted the 74-year-old journalist due to her critical journalistic work

Location: Turkmenistan, Ashgabat
Date: November 18, 2023

The Coalition For Women In Journalism denounces the deplorable behavior of Ashgabat airport officials toward renowned photojournalist and activist Soltan Achilova. The journalist was strip-searched, harassed by security, and prevented from flying to Switzerland to attend a human rights event. The authoritarian government has repeatedly attacked and hassled Achilova for her critical reporting. We demand Turkmen authorities cease persecuting Achilova and allow her to travel freely.

Soltan Achilova, the only journalist in Turkmenistan openly challenging the government, was prevented from boarding a flight at Ashgabat airport on November 18, 2023, together with her daughter. Turkmen government officials obstructed the women from traveling to the Martin Ennals Award ceremony in Switzerland, where Achilova was scheduled to be a keynote speaker at the University of Geneva’s Human Rights Week. 

Airport officials subjected journalist Soltan Achilova and her daughter to extensive and intrusive security checks. Following multiple electronic scans of them and their luggage, customs officials manually inspected their belongings and conducted two body searches, during which 74-year-old Achilova was stripped twice, causing her great distress. At passport control, border officials wiped the pages of their passports with wet napkins without explanation, declaring them invalid for travel. Notably, the passports were undamaged when submitted, and no issues were raised during check-in or visa issuance by the German embassy in Ashgabat, which had granted visas just days before their planned trip. As of now, the journalist and her daughter remain uncertain about whether their passports will be deemed permanently invalid as a result of the actions taken by the border officials.

Achilova, a vocal critic of the country's authoritarian government, has declared her determination to continue her work despite facing violations of her rights. The internationally recognized human rights defender believes that the authorities' actions stem from their fear that negative information about Turkmenistan might be exposed during the Human Rights Week in Geneva. Turkmenistan, known for its intolerance of dissent, has systematically suppressed independent media, forced opposition activists into self-exile, and blocked major social media and messaging apps. 

The incident comes as the latest in a series of government pressures on Achilova, who has previously faced multiple attacks. Achilova's history of government harassment includes a brief detention in 2018, during which plainclothes officers deleted photos from her camera and threatened her with drug charges. In another attack, she was physically assaulted while disembarking an Ashgabat city bus. In 2019, she was prevented from boarding a plane to Tbilisi to attend an international seminar. The government's actions are widely perceived as retaliation for her critical journalism.

International press freedom and human rights organizations have denounced the treatment of Achilova, highlighting the Turkmen government’s continuous suppression of activists and journalists. Achilova is known for her reporting on ordinary people in Turkmenistan, her work provides valuable insight on ongoing injustices and human rights violations in the country. 

The incident is particularly egregious as it occurred shortly after Turkmenistan's 4th Universal Periodic Review, where high-level government representatives purportedly expressed support for the promotion and protection of fundamental freedoms and human rights. The denial of Achilova's travel and the intentional destruction of her passport starkly contradict these supposed commitments.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with Soltan Achilova and calls for the immediate end to state persecution of journalists and activists. The situation involving Soltan Achilova, a distinguished photojournalist in Turkmenistan, demands urgent international attention and action. The government's decision to prevent her from traveling, coupled with the distressing treatment she and her daughter faced at Ashgabat airport, is a blatant violation of human rights and freedom of the press. Achilova's work, which bravely challenges the authoritarian regime's policies, is vital for shedding light on the realities within Turkmenistan, a nation notorious for its suppression of dissent and independent media. We call on the international community to hold the Turkmen government accountable for its commitments to human rights and press for the immediate cessation of harassment against journalists like Achilova. Without such pressure, the government's repressive tactics will likely continue, further stifling press freedom in the country.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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