The Best Way to Help Andrei

Click here for downloadable letters with addresses that you can put you name on and then mail to both the Turkmen government and the US government!

Thanks to Kate Watters from Crude Accountability!

Some Good News

Eurasia.net has reported the Russian Government is working for Andrei’s release to Russia (Andrei has dual citizenship with Turkmenistan and Russia).

The BBC has also covered the story- there is international exposure and pressure building on Turkmenistan to release Andrei Zatoka.

Click here to see how you can help.

International Committee in Defense of Andrey Zatoka Is Created

Check it out here

Congressman Chris Smith’s Appeal to Acting Turkmenistan President

Rep. Smith Appeals to Acting Turkmen President

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter released this week, U.S. Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) urged Turkmenistan’s Acting President to carry-out his promises of educational and information reforms and called for a free and fair election in the former Soviet-Bloc nation.

“I hope President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov will chart a new path for his country, as the Niyazov regime represented one of the most repressive governments in the world,” said Smith. “Ensuring that the upcoming presidential election meets OSCE standards will give the new government much-needed legitimacy.”

In the letter, Rep. Smith notes the Acting President—who was appointed by Turkmenistan’s National Council after the country’s dictatorial first President, Saparmurat Niyazov, died on December 21—has an “historic opportunity” to take the country “in a new direction” and offers to assist with the transition to democratic governance. The letter also calls for the release of opposition leader Nurberdy Nurmammedov, who was arrested on December 23, and expresses concern about the short pre-election period and the lack of multi-party competition.

“During the 109th Congress, I introduced a resolution on Turkmenistan (H.Con.Res. 486) that highlighted the many human rights abuses of the Niyazov regime and called for serious reforms,” said Rep. Smith. “With the start of a new Congress, I will be watching the conduct of the new government and deciding whether a new resolution is warranted.”

Rep. Smith’s letter concludes that “during President Niyazov’s era, the United States Congress and Turkmenistan had a troubled relationship.” Acting President Berdymukhammedov is urged “to begin a new chapter for Turkmenistan and ensure that the upcoming election meets all of Turkmenistan’s international commitments.”

TEXT OF LETTER

January 11, 2007

His Excellency Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov

Acting President

Republic of Turkmenistan

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Dear President Berdymukhammedov:

Over the past dozen years, as I have led the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (“Helsinki Commission”) of the U.S. Congress, I wrote President Niyazov on numerous occasions, raising a variety of human rights concerns. Under his authoritarian rule, unfortunately, Turkmenistan failed to progress toward democracy and remained isolated from the international community.

As Acting President, you now have an historic opportunity to take your homeland in a new direction. Your speech last week outlining initial educational and information reforms could be interpreted as a positive step. Without a doubt the people of Turkmenistan, hopeful for greater freedoms, welcomed your pledge to develop democratic institutions.

Nonetheless, I am very concerned by some recent actions of your interim government. Especially alarming is the disappearance of Nurberdy Nurmammedov of the Agzybirlik People’s Democratic Movement on December 23. Reportedly, he was arrested when leaving his home after giving an interview to Radio Liberty. I urge you to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Nurmammedov, as well as the individuals on the attached list.

Certainly you would agree that a key initial step toward democracy would be to hold a free and fair presidential election. It is vital for the legitimacy of Turkmenistan’s next president that the election meet OSCE standards. While new election procedures have been adopted, I am also concerned by the very short pre-election period and the lack of real multi-party competition. I therefore respectfully urge you to consider delaying the election and to implement the OSCE’s forthcoming recommendations to help ensure a fair contest. The 15-year residency requirement for presidential candidates should also be lifted, and peaceful political parties should be allowed to form and put forth candidates in the election.

During President Niyazov’s era, the U.S. Congress and Turkmenistan had a troubled relationship. Members of Congress and the international community will therefore watch closely the conduct of your interim government over the next weeks. I respectfully urge you to begin a new chapter for Turkmenistan and ensure that the upcoming election meets all of Turkmenistan’s international commitments. I would welcome the opportunity to strengthen our relations with the new Government of Turkmenistan and to assist with its transition to what I hope will be a bright, democratic future.

Sincerely,

Christopher H. Smith, M.C.

Requested actions by the interim Turkmen Government

Immediately and unconditionally release Nurberdy Nurmammedov, as well as Sapardurdy Khajiev, Annakurba Amanklychev, Mukhametkuli Aimuradov, Geldy Kiarisov, Nasrullah ibn Ibadullah, and Andrey Zatoka.

Provide unfettered access for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to Batyr Berdyev and Boris Shikhmuradov and other accused of involvement with the November 2002 assassination attempt, in compliance with its mandate.

Update from the US Embassy in Ashgabat

I contacted the US Embassy at 9 am this morning (Turkmen time) and received the following information:

- They do not know if a trial has or is taking place for Andrei Zatoka.
- They believe that the trial is a rumor and has or is not occuring.
- They believe that the Turkmen government is still investigating Andrei’s case.
- The Turkmen government has not admitted to charging Andrei.
- Finally they consider Andrei to be under “very serious circumstances” and Andrei is at the top of the human rights concerns in Turkmenistan.

Amnesty USA’s easy way to help Andrei

Amnesty has set up an easy way to help Andrei Zatoka

Check it out here

Vigil For Andrei in Moscow

Here is an article I received from Interfax, from Moscow.

Activists Begin Vigil For Jailed Turkmen

(Interfax) – Russian environmental and human rights activists have declared the beginning of a vigil they vow to continue until Andrei Zatoka, an
environmental and public activist arrested in December, is released. “In order to achieve the release of Andrei Zatoka, an open-ended Vigil of Concern has been declared.

Environmental activists, human rights activists, members of democratic organizations will daily send demands for Zatoka’s immediate release to the Turkmen authorities, the UN Human Rights Commission and other organizations,” says a statement published on a Russian human rights website.

Ecologist Andrei Zatoka, 50, was arrested in Turkmenistan on December 17, Human Rights Watch said earlier. At the moment of his arrest, Zatoka, who holds Russian and Turkmen passports, planned to leave for in order to meet with members of the Social Ecological Union International, human rights activists say.

Zatoka was charged with illegal possession of weapons and poisons. The human rights statement countered that “Zatoka is a herpetologist and because of his occupation he had the legal right to store the poison of the animals he studied and light pneumatic weapons.”

“Currently the place of his detention is unknown, and the authorities refuse to allow his close friends to contact him,” human rights activists say.

So far Interfax has no official commentary from the Turkmen authorities.

[Description of Source: Moscow Interfax in English --

Nonofficial information agency known for its extensive

and detailed reporting on domestic and international

issues]

Talk with the State Department and Turkmenistan Embassy

We are continuing to fight for the release of Andrei Zatoka. I contacted both the Turkmenistan desk at the State Deparment of the US and the Turkmenistan Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Both had little information to give. No one besides the Turkmen authorities will say where he is now. Right now we are preparing a letter for people to sign and we will deliver to the State Department. It will be ready shortly.

Thank you for your help!