Correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” report that on 18 May, 2020 a court hearing was held to investigate the case of the woman who had been detained for sending video footage of the hurricane impact abroad.
A woman, born in 1968, from the residential district Khimik of Turkmenabat, had been charged pursuant to two articles (212 and 192) of Turkmenistan’s Criminal Code. Later, however, she was included on the list of those pardoned in honour of Gadyr gijesi (the Night of Power) and was exempt from paying a fine.
The fate of the second detained woman is unknown.
Let us recall that the police of Turkmenabat detained sixty six people who had photo and video footage of the hurricane, which hit Lebap velayat on 27 April, 2020, in their phones. Criminal charges were initiated against two detainees.
The majority of detainees were released after interrogations. People were warned that in case of a repeated violation of the law they will face a more serious punishment, up to an imprisonment term.
The investigating officer threatened to hold one the detained women administratively liable and tried to coerce a bribe. The woman refused to pay a bribe, after which the investigating officers initiated the case pursuant to article 192 of the Criminal Code accusing her of slander against judicial and investigating authorities.
“Chronicles of Turkmenistan” has previously reported that instead of rendering assistance to those affected the law enforcement authorities of the region deployed police squadron to identify those uploading photo and video footage of the hurricane impact. Since early May sixty six people who had such material in their phones are being kept in the police departments of Turkmenabat.