This November 25th, 2003 marked the first anniversary of the failed assassination attempt on President Saparmurad Niyazov’s life. On this date a year ago, gunfire was opened on Niyazov’s motorcade with the purpose of physically removing him from his post. Whether this attack was a genuine incident or allegedly staged or fabricated by the government still remains a subject for comprehensive investigation. However, several former state officials such as Deputy-Prime Minister Boris Shikhmuradov and Ambassador to Turkey Nurmukhamed Khanamov were declared the masterminds behind the plot. As a result, authorities’ restrictive measures such as a law on treason, the re-imposition of exit visa regulations, and the cancellation of dual citizenship followed the failed coup.

On 27-29 September 2003, with the purpose of creating a common strategy toward the political crisis in Turkmenistan, different groups of Turkmen opposition-in-exile gathered in Prague, Czech Republic, and created a Union of Democratic Forces of Turkmenistan against Niyazov’s regime. As their main political platform, the opposition leaders counted the establishing of parliamentary democracy, building a multiparty system, and the restoration of human rights in Turkmenistan. Commenting on the opposition union, Vitalii Ponomarev, director of the Central Asia Program at Memorial Human Rights Center in Moscow said, “I think there is a real chance (one cannot give a 100 percent guarantee) that we might not have to wait as long as five years for that change to come.” Thus, previously divided fractions united their forces to topple the regime with new strategies.

Last Friday, commenting on Turkmen opposition members in exile, and about the reported plotters of the coup attempt, President Niyazov called them “cowards and the wicked” and asked them “to come home for a fair trial.” “If these thieves, terrorists and fugitives have courage, let them come and answer to the law and then set up a party in Turkmenistan. If they wish let them choose any lawyer from abroad. But they, Avdy Kuliyev, Yklymovs, Orazov, Khanamov and others, want to receive money from special funds and keep casting aspersion on their country”, said Niyazov (Turkmenistan.ru). In the meantime, the president carried out new reshufflings in the government. According to the OSI Turkmenistan Project report, Niyazov fired the Minister of Culture, the Minister of Construction, and the Minister of Water Economy, and appointed two new deputy premiers.

Within this context, the President two weeks ago signed a new law on public associations that receive foreign grants from outer sources. According to this law, all foreign aid, grants coming to NGOs, religious organizations and other associations should be registered with the Ministry of Justice. The representative agencies of donor organizations in Ashgabat reacted submissively. On October 21, the President signed another piece of legislation regulating the activities of religious organizations and freedom of religion. As it stipulates, the activity of unregistered religious organizations will be considered under the Criminal Code of Turkmenistan. Since the establishment of any association requires to be registered, “registration with the Justice Ministry requires 500 adult citizens living inside the country,” reports OSI Turkmenistan Project.

As such, the level of restrictions over religious freedom has been on the rise since last year’s failed coup. In addition to putting pressure on and closing the Baptist Church, the authorities are not constraining themselves from totally controlling Turkmen mosques. As Forum 18, a group that monitors religious freedom in the former Soviet Union reports, “the State Security Ministry (ex-KGB) has closed down a mosque for not putting the Ruhnama (Book of the Soul), President Saparmurat Niyazov’s spiritual writings, on the same stand as the Koran during Friday prayers to be filmed for TV.”

These latest regulations over religious freedom and human rights violations related to failed coup reflected upon criticisms abroad. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights passed the first resolution condemning the human rights violations in Turkmenistan. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) produced its preliminary and starting dossier on Turkmenistan, particularly on the case of assassination attempt and its implications. The United States expressed its concerns about the situation and urged Turkmenistan to make amendments to the latest laws on religious freedom. As such, there is concern that the new law can deter the already inert activities of NGOs in the country.

Within this context, the increasing international pressure over Turkmenistan remains the sole hope for bringing change to the dictatorial regime while the united opposition in exile remains too feeble to exert direct influence in the country.