The International Community Stands Up For Farid Tukhbatullin

Ecoport news service

January 2003.
Dozens of letters are sent already to the administration of the President of Turkmenistan and other instances of the country in defense of Farid Tukhbatullin, the environmental activist. The representatives of public NGOs of Russia, Ukraine, USA, Holland, Kazakhstan and many other countries in appeals to the authorities of Turkmenistan points to the fact, that Farid Tukhbatullin had no any relation to opposition movement, he always was engaged in environmental problems and did many helpful for conservation of nature of Turkmenistan.

Within the next few days the environmentalists are going to send to the President of Russia Putin the letters with the request to pay attention on what happens in Turkmenistan in connection with the arrest Farid Tukhbatullin, as he is the Russian citizen. The environmentalists consider, that the interest that Russia shows concerning its citizen, who found himself in difficult situation abroad, first of all will protect him from probable illegal actions, and will have, in addition, positive political and public resonance both in Russia and in the countries where there are Russian diasporas.

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December 23, 2002 in Turkmenistan in conditions of increasing political hysteria the officials of local State Security arrested the new suspects. Farid Tukhbatullin, the employee of Tashauz environmental club, the member of the International Socio-ecological Union (ISEU) found himself the next victim of the "witch hunt", that was developed after an attempt at Niyazov, the President of the country.

Tukhbatullin was accused of participation in the conference "Human Rights and the Problem of Security in Turkmenistan", which was organized in the beginning of November by the Remedial Center "Memorial" and International Helsinki Federation. The special services have regarded for some reason this conference as the meeting of opposition. About 30 experts, journalists, representatives of human right defense organizations, of Soros Foundation and political refugees took part attended the conference. In opinion of the special services of Turkmenistan, at the meeting the plans of an attempt on life of the president Niyazov ostensibly were discussed, that, according to evidence of the participants of the conference is downright lie.