International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) has joined several Turkmenistani human rights groups in sending an open letter to Turkmenistani authorities on the case of Hursanai Ismatullaeva, a doctor who was arbitrarily detained, prosecuted and sentenced to a lengthy prison term in retaliation for her efforts to obtain justice for her unfair dismissal from a perinatal clinic and for seeking help from organisations based abroad in her struggle for justice. She was first detained the day after her case was raised at an event organised by Members of the European Parliament in July 2021. The organisations signing the letter urge the relevant authorities to ensure that:
- Ismatullaeva is treated in accordance with international human rights standards while in detention;
- her case is reconsidered and she is urgently and unconditionally released; and
- those responsible for the serious violations of her rights are held to account.
The letter can be downloaded here.