- Home
- About us
-
Our work
- Elections
- Civil society
- Rule of law
- Democratic governance
- Legislative support
- Freedom of religion or belief
- Freedom of peaceful assembly
- Gender-based violence
- Human rights defenders
- Human rights and new technologies
- Human rights and gender-responsive security sector
- Human rights and anti-terrorism
- Migration and freedom of movement
- National human rights institutions
- Torture
- Trafficking in human beings
- Hate crime
- People with disabilities
- Racism, xenophobia and discrimination
- Roma and Sinti
- Gender equality
- Special meetings
- News
- Events
- Resources
Press release
ODIHR Director offers co-operation with Turkmenistan on elections, rule of law and human rights
- Date:
- Place:
- ASHGABAD
- Source:
- OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE Centre in Ashgabat
- Fields of work:
- Rule of law, Elections
ASHGABAD, 22 May 2007 - Ambassador Christian Strohal, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), expressed hope today that Turkmen authorities would be ready to co-operate on election issues, rule of law and human rights.
"I was encouraged by pledges made by the President and Foreign Minister to work with ODIHR on legislative reviews, gender issues, criminal justice reform, on participating in future election observations and holding regional workshops on human rights and democratization," said Ambassador Strohal at the end of his two-day visit to Turkmenistan.
"We will now follow up on this by establishing working contacts with the administration, and work to reach out to the Turkmen public."
He added that this will depend entirely on the willingness of the Turkmen authorities to translate the assistance offered by the ODIHR into concrete reforms, as agreed with the President.
In his meeting with President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, Ambassador Strohal raised concerns regarding the human rights situation in Turkmenistan, offering to assist the country towards fulfilling its OSCE human rights commitments.
"Turkmenistan has a long way to go before its institutions are truly democratic and human rights fully respected. I appreciate the determination of the President to engage more fully with the OSCE in this regard and to ensure the openness of his administration," said Ambassador Strohal.
"I was encouraged by pledges made by the President and Foreign Minister to work with ODIHR on legislative reviews, gender issues, criminal justice reform, on participating in future election observations and holding regional workshops on human rights and democratization," said Ambassador Strohal at the end of his two-day visit to Turkmenistan.
"We will now follow up on this by establishing working contacts with the administration, and work to reach out to the Turkmen public."
He added that this will depend entirely on the willingness of the Turkmen authorities to translate the assistance offered by the ODIHR into concrete reforms, as agreed with the President.
In his meeting with President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, Ambassador Strohal raised concerns regarding the human rights situation in Turkmenistan, offering to assist the country towards fulfilling its OSCE human rights commitments.
"Turkmenistan has a long way to go before its institutions are truly democratic and human rights fully respected. I appreciate the determination of the President to engage more fully with the OSCE in this regard and to ensure the openness of his administration," said Ambassador Strohal.
Contact
