Khudayberdi Allashov

Affiliated media: Radio Azatlyk, Former correspondent

Incident date: December 1, 2023

Attack type:

• Pressure on a media worker via judicial and/or economic pressure on relatives and loved ones

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Radio Azatlyk

Location: Turkmenistan, Konye-Urgench

Additional information:

Radio Azatlyk reported the detention of its former correspondent Khudayberdi Allashov. According to his relatives, several police officers broke into Allashov’s flat in Konye-Urgench, forcibly pulled him out, forced him into a car, and took him away. Radio Azatlyk also learnt that a few days before his detention, Allashov was summoned to the police station, where he was beaten and subjected to electric torture. It later became known that Allashov was arrested for 15 days for «hooliganism». In 2016, he and his relatives were also detained and abused, formally for selling nās, but in reality — for giving information to Radio Azatlyk. When Radio Azatlyk reported on the arrest, Allashov’s wife (now living in Ashgabat) and even his young son were summoned to the police. They were scolded for the family’s allegedly continuing to communicate with journalists. The son was intimidated, being threatened that he would never see his father again.