Shirinbai, Omruzak Omarkuliev’s father, died in late May. Next week his relatives will hold a memorial service to commemorate 40 days after his death.
Omruzak Omarkuliev is a Turkmen student who did a course of study in Turkey and established a student association of fellow Turkmens. In February Turkmenistan’s Central Election Commission invited Omarkuliev to participate in the Parliamentary elections as an observer.
In March 2018 the website TurkmenYurtTV reported that without providing any explanations, the Migration Office prevented the student from departing from Turkmenistan back to Turkey.
Omarkuliev gave an interview to Radio “Azatlyk” to tell about his futile attempts to exit the country. After that the activist disappeared.
A week ago with reference to its sources, “Azatlyk” reported that Omruzak was sentenced to a 20 year imprisonment term. This information was confirmed by sources of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan”. Omarkuliev is being held in the maximum security colony in Ovadan-depe after a closed court hearing.
Correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” mention that many family members and the Omarkulievs’s neighbor did not attend the funeral fearing that they might come to the attention of the special services as they are convinced that Omruzak was convicted on “political grounds”.
Shirinbai was buried in a cemetery in Galkynysh etrap of Lebap velayat (formerly, a village of Deinau, Charjou region).
In late May Shirinbai would have turned 50.