The president is the chief executive of the union government and is also the commander in chief of the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan. Approximately one thousand ethnic Poles live in the country; they have been largely absorbed into the Russian community and consider themselves Russian Orthodox. Read More, A parent's worst nightmare and an ongoing crisis for Christian women and girls today reveals persecution against believers in some of its darkest forms. Pray for both boldness and discernment to share the gospel despite the legal consequences. Employment and educational opportunities for ethnic minorities are limited by the government’s promotion of Turkmenistani national identity, and activists who advocate for minority rights have faced persecution. The flight of some 2,327 Jews from Turkmenistan since the collapse of the Soviet Union has left those remaining in a precarious position. Turkmenistan is wholly ruled by its president, who seeks to tightly control every aspect of daily life, including religious worship. Do individuals enjoy personal social freedoms, including choice of marriage partner and size of family, protection from domestic violence, and control over appearance? Striking news pictures from around the world, Brothers play tabla to the BBC theme tune. Video, Brothers play tabla to the BBC theme tune, The three-year-old orphaned by war. Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative representatives determine the policies of the government? All genuine opposition groups operate either illegally or in exile. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov dismissed trade minister Amandurdy Ishanov and interior minister Iskander Mulikov as part of a selective crackdown on official corruption in September and October, respectively. In addition, some imams are believed to be in internal exile. [9] While the Baháʼí Faith spread across the Russian Empire[9][10] and attracted the attention of scholars and artists,[11] the Baháʼí community in Ashgabat built the first Baháʼí House of Worship, elected one of the first Baháʼí local administrative institutions and was a center of scholarship. Following in his predecessor's footsteps, Mr Berdymukhamedov is an autocratic ruler who has built a personality cult. Hare Krishnas are a minority community in Turkmenistan. The authorities frequently deny defendants’ basic rights of due process, including public trials and access to defense attorneys. [1] Jehovah's Witnesses have been fined, imprisoned and suffered beatings for their faith or due to being conscientious objectors.[17]. Providing the country’s “spiritual guidance”, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and his government wield control over religious institutions. In Turkmenistan, the Kaziate is located in Chardzhou. Individual activists face intimidation and harassment, as do the family members of human rights activists working in exile. They attended and conferred blessings on all important communal and life-cycle events, and also acted as mediators between clans and tribes. A 2016 law on religion maintained existing bans on religious activity outside state control, imposed a higher membership threshold for the registration of religious groups, and required all registered groups to reapply for registration. That same month, Attorney General Batyr Atdaev announced that former migration service chief Meylis Nobatov was found guilty of corruption; he received a 15-year sentence. Turkmenistan is one of the world’s most restrictive countries, and pressure on Christians is extremely high. According to Forum 18, despite international pressure, the authorities severely repress all religious groups, and the legal framework is so constrictive that many prefer to exist underground rather than have to pass through all of the official hurdles. © 2000 - 2020 Open Doors USA, All Rights Reserved. It replaced a less powerful Council of Elders and is formally considered the country’s top representative body, surpassing the role of the much smaller Mejlis. [2] A 2009 Pew Research Center report indicates a higher percentage of Muslims with 93.1% of Turkmenistan's population adhering to Islam.[3]. Ethnic Turkmens, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Balochs and Pashtuns living in Mary Province are predominantly Sunni Muslim. In most areas, public worship is out of the question. Religious classes are held in both schools and mosques, with instruction in Arabic language, the Qur'an and the hadith, and history of Islam. Following in his predecessor's footsteps, Mr Berdymukhamedov is an autocratic ruler who has built a personality cult. Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the president’s son and presumed political heir, left his post as deputy foreign minister to become deputy governor of Ahal Province after a January 2019 decree. Turkmenistan is a democratic, legal and secular state in which the government takes the form of presidential republic. The Soviet-era Communist Party became the DPT in 1991 and remains in power to date. Turkmenistan has increased the number of religious prisoners of conscience it has jailed, Forum 18 News Service has learnt, by imprisoning two further Jehovah's Witnesses, Atamurat Suvkhanov and Begench Shakhmuradov, for refusing on religious grounds to serve in the armed forces.