About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 [1] (April 4, 2025)

handle is hein.crs/trknist0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Inforrning the legislative debate since 1914 Updated April 4, 2025 Turkmenistan Overview Turkmenistan is an authoritarian Central Asian country rich in hydrocarbons that borders the Caspian Sea and four other countries, including Afghanistan and Iran. Since becoming independent with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Turkmenistan's government has kept the country largely isolated from the outside world and maintained tight control over the economy. Turkmenistan's constitution establishes permanent neutrality as the core principle of the country's foreign policy. History and geography underpin a complicated but important relationship with Russia, and increasing economic dependence drives closer ties with China. In recent years, U.S. cooperation with Turkmenistan has focused primarily on border security issues, particularly with neighboring Afghanistan. Political Background Authoritarian Rule. Saparmurad Niyazov, a former first secretary of Turkmenistan's Communist Party, became the country's first elected president after an uncontested 1992 race. A 1994 referendum extended his term to 2002. In 1999, amendments to the constitution proclaimed him president for life. Niyazov, known as Turkmenbashi, or Leader of the Turkmen, was an autocratic ruler who created a cult of personality around himself and his family, isolated the country, and suppressed dissent. Following Niyazov's unexpected death in December 2006, former Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was elected in a 2007 election widely seen as fraudulent, then reelected in 2012 and 2017. Berdimuhamedov followed in his predecessor's authoritarian footsteps, replacing Niyazov's cult of personality with veneration of himself. He uses the title Arkadag (the Protector). Although he was succeeded by his son Serdar as president in 2022, the elder Berdimuhamedov retains extensive powers. Following 2012 legislation allowing for a multi-party system, Turkmenistan now has three officially recognized political parties. The Organization for Security and Co- operation in Europe describes Turkmenistan's political environment as only nominally pluralist, as all three parties are aligned with the Berdimuhamedov regime and electoral procedures fail to meet international standards. Government. Turkmenistan's constitution defines the country as a secular, democratic presidential republic with a tripartite separation of powers between the executive, the judiciary, and the legislature. In practice, executive power is largely unchecked. The legislature, termed a rubber- stamp body by many observers, became bicameral with the creation of an upper house known as the People's Council in 2021, with Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov as its chairman. In 2022, Turkmenistan underwent its first presidential transition in 16 years, with Serdar Berdimuhamedov replacing his father in an election widely seen as a carefully orchestrated succession. In 2023, constitutional changes reverted the parliament to a single chamber and granted the People's Council, still headed by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov but now separate from the parliament and no longer an elected body, extensive powers superseding those of the president, including the power to change the constitution, oversee all branches of government, and determine foreign and domestic policy. Figure I. Map of Turkmenistan Source: Graphic created by CRS. Human Rights. Turkmenistan has faced regular criticism for human rights abuses from the U.S. State Department and from independent watchdogs. Freedom House, a nonpartisan nongovernmental organization (NGO), describes the country as a repressive authoritarian state where political rights and civil liberties are almost completely denied in practice. According to the State Department's 2023 Country Report on Human Rights Practices, human rights issues in Turkmenistan include enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, restrictions on freedom of expression, and corruption. The government also imposes severe restrictions on freedom of movement. Because of its violations of religious freedom, Turkmenistan has been designated as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act since 2014. The State Department regularly waives the related sanctions, citing U.S. national interests. Turkmenistan has long faced international criticism for engaging in widespread use of state-orchestrated forced labor, particularly in the harvesting of cotton. Public sector employees are reportedly forced to pick cotton, and private businesses are allegedly also forced to contribute labor. In 2018, U.S. Customs and Border Protection responded to concerns about forced labor by issuing a Withhold Release Order banning the importation of all cotton from Turkmenistan, as well as all products produced using cotton

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most