News in English / Заголовки новостей 
Turkmenistan ‘impounds’ Belarusian equipment in potash plant dispute
All the equipment was imported into the country temporarily and should have been exported on completion of the construction work. It’s almost two years since the plant came into operation, but Turkmenistan is not allowing the Belarusians to take out their equipment, saying that Belgorhimprom has not met its contractual obligations. дальше »
2019-2-27 15:41
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Turkmenistan: Prisoners Asked to Write Statements of Repentance
“I repent of my actions, and swear that if I am released I will never break the law again.” All the prisoners in AH-K/6 strict regime camp in the southern city of Tejen have been told to write pretty much carbon copies of this letter. дальше »
2019-2-27 13:29
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Turkmenistan: Customers Pay Bribes to Withdraw Cash
Sources in the western cities of Balkanabat and Turkmenbashi told Alternative Turkmenistan News that police officers on security duty at the banks charge five manats to withdraw cash using a customer’s own card outside bank working hours. дальше »
2019-2-22 23:12
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Turkmenistan News Digest — Issue 1
Alternative Turkmenistan News (ATN) Turkmenistan: Where has all the flour gone? Alternative Turkmenistan News, 13 February 2019 The regions of Turkmenistan are in the grip of yet another shortage of bread and flour. дальше »
2019-2-16 02:43
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Turkmenistan: Where has all the flour gone?
A kilo of bran costs 1.8 to 2 manats, which makes 90 to 100 manats for a 50-kilo sack – twice as expensive as a sack of flour in the state shops. In these circumstances some opportunistic people have started using the cheaper flour from the shops as an additive to their feed. дальше »
2019-2-13 16:46
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EU suspends Turkmenistan Airlines flights over safety concerns
According to the live flight tracker on the website Flightradar24, the Turkmenistan Airlines flight to Birmingham scheduled for 4 February has been cancelled. The airline provided competitively priced flights via Ashgabat to Delhi, Amritsar, Bangkok and Beijing. дальше »
2019-2-5 18:56
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Are Amazon, Walmart, and eBay’s online ‘marketplaces’ providing a refuge for goods made with forced labor?
Beyond the goods sold in their marketplaces, Walmart and Amazon should sign the Turkmen Cotton Pledge and investigate the supply chains of their own private label goods, which have been linked to cases of forced labor, human trafficking, and other forms of modern slavery. дальше »
2019-2-1 20:08
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Turkmen Cotton Harvest Still Relies on Forced Labor – 2018 Campaign Review
This report looks in detail at the 2018 cotton harvest in Turkmenistan and sums up suggestions from farmers on how to end the problem of forced labor once and for all. дальше »
2019-1-31 13:11
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Hundreds of Villages Untouched by Turkmenistan’s Rural Development Program
A rural development program has been in effect in Turkmenistan since 2007, receiving state investments worth $14 billion. But has the program really reached the villages? Our report from a village in the heart of rural Turkmenistan. дальше »
2019-1-29 16:54
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Turkmen Abandon “Motherland of Prosperity” in Search of Work
No compensation was given to the shop owners, nor were they provided with new locations – worse still, they were offered the opportunity to buy at a higher price than before and to pay a bribe on top. дальше »
2019-1-26 23:40
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Turkmens Seek Treatment Abroad to Overcome Local Healthcare Barriers
An increasing number of Turkmens leaves the county to seek treatment abroad. The low qualification of local specialists is one of the main reasons for the general lack of confidence in the Turkmen healthcare system. дальше »
2019-1-19 15:37
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Soldiers finish cotton harvest in Turkmenistan
Conscripts were sent to pick cotton in several districts in the southeast Mary region at the end of November. They wore military uniform and travelled to the fields in army Ural and Kamaz trucks. дальше »
2018-12-5 19:34
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Selling possessions to get by: The struggle to feed a family in eastern Turkmenistan
Just two years ago many families would not have contemplated selling off their clothes, but now, in what the government calls the Age of Might and Happiness, they have no alternative. Many depend on remittances from relatives working abroad, as there are no jobs in Turkmenabat or the surrounding countryside. дальше »
2018-11-26 13:29
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Turkmen National Oil Company Still Fails to Pay off Debt
In July and August the only state company in the country’s oil and gas sector to have any money left was the Turkmenbashy Oil Refineries Complex. All other companies in the industry – Turkmengaz, Turkmennebit and Turkmengeology – had run out of money. дальше »
2018-11-21 11:51
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Turkmenistan: Dentists in Mary Forced to Pick Cotton
Every day dentists, assistants and support staff at the Mary Сity Dental Сenter – five people in all – are forced to work in the cotton fields. The list of employees sent to pick cotton is updated weekly and displayed at the Center reception, located on Gowshut Khan street. дальше »
2018-11-20 21:47
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Cotton pickers struggle with low pay, poor crop in southern Turkmenistan
Night-time temperatures already fell below zero in the first 10 days of November. It’s cold during the day too, but people are still being sent from the cities to the cotton fields. This will continue until the capital gives the go-ahead for the end of the cotton season. дальше »
2018-11-16 21:41
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Forced labor remains the norm in Turkmenistan’s cotton fields
Instead of changing this long running practice in order to ease the pressure and criticism from the international community, the government of Turkmenistan is carrying on as it always does – using threats and blackmail to force people from different professions to take part in the cotton campaign. дальше »
2018-11-10 19:37
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Turkmen prison deputy head tells inmates: “I am your law, your President and your God!”
President Berdimuhamedov, as commander-in-chief and protector of the country's Constitution, should initiate an inspection in the Punishment Implementation Department and its activities throughout the country’s prison system, in an effort to stop the arbitrary harassment of ethnic minorities. дальше »
2018-11-5 00:47
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Food lines in a land of plenty – life in Turkmenistan
Oil and gas rich Turkmenistan is in the grip of a food and economic crisis. Long lines for basic foodstuffs have become the new normal in a country that once boasted free gasoline allowances and, more recently, free utilities. дальше »
2018-11-3 21:48
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Teachers in Turkmenistan forced to pick cotton during fall break
Governor Tangryguly Atakhallyev treats local employees, directors of administrations and departments, like dirt. He insists that they are in the cotton fields day and night and get cotton out of nowhere. But what can they do if there’s no cotton? дальше »
2018-10-30 16:41
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Corruption in Turkmenistan’s Tejen prison
Just one and a half years ago, the “fine” for being found in possession of a cell phone was 300 manats. Another 100 manats on top of that fee and the guards would give the phone back. Today, however, the violation alone would cost an inmate 1,300 manats. дальше »
2018-10-20 22:21
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Turkmenistan’s cotton harvest campaign continues despite stillborn crop
In Turkmenistan, it is half-way through the cotton harvesting season. Despite the crop failure and empty cotton fields, local government officials hold daily meetings with chiefs of institutions and demand more people in the fields and more cotton to meet the state plan. дальше »
2018-10-11 12:18
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Turkmenistan: President’s relative with wristwatches worth $1M awarded medal for his ‘Love for Fatherland’
While his contribution as an engineer to “loving the Fatherland” could hardly be assessed, his lifestyle outside of work was publicly known: he sips expensive alcoholic drinks in Las Vegas casinos, strolls among the yachts in Monaco, and drives expensive cars around the world. дальше »
2018-9-30 21:17
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Turkmenistan: Bus Crash Injures Dozens of Cotton Pickers
Dozens of people have been injured in a bus accident. The crash occurred on August 31st in the eastern city of Turkmenabat. The roughly 40 people on board were kindergarten and secondary school staff traveling to pick cotton. дальше »
2018-9-5 00:47
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Turkmenistan Forces State Workers into New Cotton-picking Campaign
In Mary province, employees of the local state sewing factory each had to pay around $1.5 on August 27 to lease city buses in order to send workers to the cotton fields. The sum would cover a 10-day lease of the public buses, after which another local government institution will cover the transport costs, and the factory staff will go to pick cotton. дальше »
2018-9-2 21:47
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Security services quell a riot in a Turkmen market
Eyewitnesses said that the dissatisfied customers protested loudly and tried to break into the store. They criticized price inflation, increased poverty and lack of jobs, and blamed President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his policies for this. дальше »
2018-7-25 12:49
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Thousands of Turkmens strive to board the ferry to Azerbaijan
People wait for several days at the port before they can board the ferry, which only departs to Baku a few times per week with no fixed schedule. Tickets are sold onboard at 160 manats ($10 at market rate) but due to a large number of people willing to buy it, access onto the board is possible only with a token. дальше »
2018-7-23 15:41
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As grain harvest ends in Turkmenistan, media are silent about harvest victory
A drought during spring impaired the growth of the plants, thus reducing the yield of the fields and making it impossible to fulfill the plan. The emergence of underground salt water and salt storms in May aggravated the situation, damaging the crops. дальше »
2018-7-23 13:24
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Turkmenistan: Last-ditch appeal against 12-year jail terms
The five men – now aged between 37 and 58 - were punished for meeting to study the works of the late Turkish Muslim theologian Said Nursi, particularly his collection "Risale-i Nur" (Messages of Light), according to the verdict seen by Forum 18. дальше »
2018-7-16 12:22
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Turkmenistan: Imprisoned Rights Activist Transferred to Prison Hospital with TB
On July 4, his relatives visited the hospital pharmacy and found a pharmacist lying on a couch and watching TV. The bag with medicines for Mingelov was next to him. Asked why he had not given them to Mingelov’s doctor, the pharmacist said he had passed everything on. дальше »
2018-7-5 12:25
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Turkmenistan: Imprisoned Student’s Family under Pressure
After Shirinbay Umarkuliev died of a heart attack in May, his wife Kyzlargul was asked not to place a headstone on his grave, in order to keep the news of his death away from a wider public. Shirinbay Umarkuliev was the father of Omruzak Umarkuliev, a student studying at a Turkish university in the city of Osmaniye, who reportedly was given a 20-year prison term. дальше »
2018-7-3 21:02
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Imprisoned Turkmen activist’s life at risk as doctors refuse treatment
The health condition of Mansur Mingelov, an imprisoned Turkmen activist, has worsened in recent weeks, as he was unable to receive proper medical assistance at LB-K/11 strict regime labor camp in Seydi, Lebap province. дальше »
2018-6-30 20:44
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Turkmenistan’s Ombudswoman plagiarizes half of her inaugural report
Nearly half of the first report published by Turkmenistan's Ombudsman's office is a copy-paste from a Master’s thesis written by a student in Kazakhstan. As discovered by Alternative Turkmenistan News (ATN), the original work was published back in 2015. дальше »
2018-6-29 14:05
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Turkmenistan security forces prosecute pensioner who appealed to the president
On May 21, several policemen took Hekim Hajiev from his home – without a warrant – and brought him to the station in the city. Hajiev's detention was not recorded on the police register. дальше »
2018-6-20 10:27
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UN WGAD found deprivation of liberty of alleged Gulenists in Turkmenistan “arbitrary”
Every convict had been subjected to torture and beatings during the investigation stage, several among the accused reported broken bones. Some of them complained saying they were kept naked in dark cells, for long periods. дальше »
2018-6-6 22:04
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U.S. Customs Halts Imports of Forced Labor Cotton and Cotton Goods from Turkmenistan
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a law enforcement agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO), formally banning the importation of “all Turkmenistan cotton or products produced in whole or in part with Turkmenistan cotton.” дальше »
2018-5-24 22:47
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Bureaucracy obstructs Turkmenistan’s flower imports
At every stage, entrepreneurs looking to import flowers or food products are forced to pay bribes to facilitate the controls and obtain the necessary licenses and permits. A delay in the process would deteriorate their goods, causing significant losses. дальше »
2018-4-25 15:37
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Once fertile Dashoguz turns into Turkmenistan’s salty wasteland
Residents of the area have become accustomed to the salt layer, which emerges in the spring, rendering arable land infertile. When locals utter the words shor yerler (“salty marsh” in Turkmen), their intonation resembles one of resignation, as if talking of a terminally ill patient. дальше »
2018-4-23 13:33
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Former Secret Service Official Dies in Isolation in Turkmen Prison
“On the last day as a free man, he was offered the opportunity to say goodbye to his family and friends. He phoned several close colleagues and friends and told them: 'If there is water and a slice of bread, I will return',” a former colleague said. дальше »
2018-4-10 13:36
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Low voter turnout prompts Turkmen embassy in Belarus to forcibly summon students
The low turnout prompted the embassy staff to call up the deans of universities in Minsk attended by Turkmen students to “urgently send them to vote.” The diplomatic staff said the students would otherwise face “severe repercussions.” дальше »
2018-4-3 10:42
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Only the strongest survive: In Turkmenistan 70% of Hepatitis C tests are positive
Fearing a potential leakage of information abroad, hospital directors hinder any desire doctors may have to develop professionally, thus impeding scientific updates to domestic medicine. Doctors are often required to show their passport in order to verify that they have not traveled abroad. дальше »
2018-3-15 12:30
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Turkmenistan: Food shortage reaches Ashgabat
Turkmenistan has suffered an acute food shortage since last autumn. Sources in the provinces have reported of long lines by state-owned owned stores, with customers trying to buy basic foodstuffs, such as flour, bread, sugar and vegetable oil. дальше »
2018-3-9 22:07
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Turkmenistan: Demolition of residential homes continues in Ashgabat
he selected area lies between the Keshi neighborhood and the trolleybus depot of the Turkmen capital. Residents were told they can autonomously pull to pieces their homes and sell off any resulting building material before the deadline of March 15. дальше »
2018-3-5 12:03
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Turkmens leave their country in search for better opportunities
Large-scale layoffs, economic uncertainty, increasingly absurd prohibitions and regulations have pushed residents of Turkmenistan to seek fortune elsewhere. Importantly, in recent months the number of ethnic Turkmens has grown among the people looking to move abroad. дальше »
2018-2-26 14:14
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Turkmenistan Slips Back to the Hungry Nineties
While the grandeur of the capital city may still be visible, the peripheral regions are reliving the crises of the nineties, with residents standing in long lines to buy flour, bread, vegetable oil and other essentials. дальше »
2018-2-21 22:34
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Turkmen authorities address problems in Garabogaz after ATN investigation and presidential reprimands
Kuren Kurenov, who has overseen Garabogaz since 2016 when it was incorporated in the Turkmenbashi district, held meetings with local residents together with other local officials. He was briefed on the problems with access to drinking water, housing and foodstuff. дальше »
2018-2-14 00:00
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Turkmenistan: Garabogaz Residents Left Scrambling to Survive
For those who cannot leave, survival depends entirely on casual work that comes and goes. The rates of family breakdown and suicide in the city rise as despair takes hold. The last time drinking water was delivered to the city was in December. дальше »
2018-2-9 15:51
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Fighting corruption Turkmen-style: President’s nephew-in-law owns $1 M worth wristwatches
High-end resorts, yachts, luxury cars, high-flying nights in Las Vegas between nightclubs and champagne… this is an introduction that could be appropriate to describe the life of a famous Hollywood actor or director. дальше »
2018-2-9 13:35
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Ashgabat: Women returning from Turkey interrogated at airport
This strict protocol was imposed for female students, women married to Turkish citizens, even if they had no problems with the Turkish authorities and all their documents and permits were in order. Passengers who possessed work permits in Turkey and were returning home for a visit also experienced similar checks. дальше »
2018-1-25 12:22
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Turkmenistan: Central Bank halts currency exchange for entrepreneurs
Since December 1, Turkmenistan's Central Bank and all licensed lenders stopped currency exchange operations for entrepreneurs who trade with foreign suppliers and import products from abroad. дальше »
2018-1-19 00:51
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