Turkmenistan is a highly authoritarian country under the rule of President Berdymukhamedov since 2007, enforcing a cult of personality that proliferates his image in golden monuments and fawning official coverage. The 2016 Constitution removed the presidential age limit and Berdymukhamedov was “reelected” in 2017 with 97 percent of the vote. Sources report that the government is extremely concerned about the possibility of mass unrest amid a crippling economic decline, and it is rapidly implementing an “anti-terrorist plan” that includes the installation of facial recognition cameras and “smart city” technology in public places, including small businesses. The government typically charges its critics with terrorism, targeting their families and friends if it cannot extradite them from abroad. A majority 89 percent of the population are Sunni Muslim, while Orthodox Christians represent the second-largest group, comprising around 9 percent. Although the 2016 Religion Law asserts that Turkmenistan is a secular state with religious freedom, it requires religious groups to register with the Ministry of Justice under intrusive criteria, mandates that the government be informed of all foreign financial support, bans private religious education and worship, and prohibits the public wearing of religious garb except by clerics. The State Commission on Religious Organizations and Expert Evaluation of Religious Information Resources (SCROEERIR) oversees all religious activity, including registrations, the appointment of religious leaders, the building of houses of worship, and the import and publication of religious literature. The registration process requires religious organizations to provide detailed information about founding members, including names, addresses, and birth dates. Recognized communities must reregister every three years, and religious activity is forbidden in prisons and the military. Government Control of Religion In addition to this strict framework of registration, Muslims continued to face particular scrutiny in 2020. The government maintained its practice of appointing senior Islamic leaders and dictating the content of sermons and prayers. Sermons include tributes to the President, reminding the congregation that all that is good in their lives derives from Berdymukhamedov’s “wise policies.” Although the government denied the existence of coronavirus in Turkmenistan, all mosques have been closed as a “prophylactic” measure since July—a restriction that did not apply to the President’s dedication of a mosque in November or to its large accompanying feast. The personality cult of President Berdymukhamedov functions as a virtual state religion. In 2020, the President published his alleged 53rd book, The Spiritual Life of the Turkmens, which prescribes correct national belief and culture and is celebrated in state media as a work “of particular value in the spiritual and moral education of youth.” Berdymukhamedov noticeably adopted a more pious appearance in public, including at the dedication of massive prestige mosques in February and November, when he delivered speeches about the necessity of protecting national values and culture. State media increasingly refers to him as Hajji, in reference to his completion of the Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca, and emphasized at his 63rd birthday celebration that he is now the same age that the Prophet Muhammad was when he died. However, the state frowns on open religious piety among regular citizens and the civil service; in February, state employees in the Lebap region were forbidden outright from attending Friday prayers or praying at work, and the state employees were warned that they would lose their jobs if they entered a mosque. Jehovah’s Witnesses Although not technically banned, Jehovah’s Witnesses have not been granted registration and are therefore unable to operate legally. The government has arrested and imprisoned many Witnesses for their conscientious objection to military service, for which there is no civilian alternative available; Article 58 of the 2016 Constitution describes defense as a “sacred duty” incumbent on everyone. Since 2018, when the state renewed its campaign against conscientious objection, Turkmenistan has imprisoned at least 25 Jehovah’s Witnesses under Article 219(1) of the Criminal Code for the absence of a legal basis for exemption from military service. Although 14 of those prisoners have since been released after serving their one-year sentences, 11 others remain imprisoned. In September, President Berdymukhamedov pardoned more than 800 prisoners but did not include a single Jehovah’s Witness among them. In October, the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights sent an open letter to the Turkmenistani Human Rights Ombudsman requesting an end to the persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses for conscientious objection. Key U.S. Policy The United States engages with the Turkmenistan government in border and regional security programs, along with educational and cultural exchanges. Turkmenistan enjoys most-favored-nation trading status and receives direct U.S. assistance to strengthen the security of its border with Afghanistan. Although the U.S. government is cognizant of the deplorable state of human rights in Turkmenistan, it has prioritized security concerns related to the ongoing war in Afghanistan. In October, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale participated in a virtual trilateral meeting with counterparts from Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, where they discussed strengthening cooperation on regional security, economic growth, and development. The U.S. Department of State has designated Turkmenistan as a CPC under IRFA since 2014, and redesignated it on December 2, 2020, but has repeatedly used a waiver against any related sanctions “as required in the ‘important national interest of the United States.’” This waiver effectively neutralizes the consequences of Turkmenistan’s CPC designation, removes any incentive for the government to reform its brutal policies, and lends credence to the regime’s claims that security concerns warrant its harsh repression of religious freedom. U S C I R F – R E C O M M E N D E D F O R C O U N T R I E S O F PA R T I C U L A R C O N C E R N ( C P C ) 51 TURKMENISTAN Background