Release Zatoka!

Andrei Zatoka, a well known environmental activist, was detained on October 20, 2009, in Dashoguz, Turkmenistan.

Zatoka was attacked by a man without warning while shopping for food at about 11 a.m. at a market in Dashoguz. When Zatoka tried to get away from the man and turned to two police officers nearby to report the incident, the policemen proceeded to arrest Zatoka. At around 9 in the evening staff of the city police department promised to release him which he passed on by telephone to a friend. However he was soon told that he would remain in custody as he was suspected of inflicting medium severity bodily injuries (concussion and a closed arm fracture) on a passer-by out of hooliganism. This was supposedly confirmed by a medical assessment and the evidence of three “witnesses”.