On 12 January President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov held an extended Cabinet Session in the course of which he ordered the Ministry of National Security to limit access of residents to web resources which pose a threat to the constitutional system as well as to undertake tightened measures to combat violations of public safety and prevent civil unrest.
According to a source at “Chronicles of Turkmenistan”, on 7 January, 2022 regional law enforcement agencies were instructed by Ashgabat to set special squadrons of the Interior Ministry and the NSM on high alert.
The order has also been issued to vacate space in pre-trial and temporary detention facilities and release those who have been kept there for minor offence.
In the former colony №8 in Turkmenabad one of the buildings has been prepared to accommodate a large number of detainees. A special squadron of local police has been deployed nearby.
An instruction was issued to hand over service weapons to law enforcement officers who are authorized to carry firearms. In order to obtain such a permit, a police officer needs to do a six month course in Ashgabat. Other officers must be equipped with rubber batons and handcuffs.
In case of an incident special police squadrons of Lebap velayat will be summoned to the regional office of the Interior Ministry.
The local office of the NSM has been charged with liaisoning between law enforcement agencies of the velayat.
A decision was made to keep the high alert status until end of January.
It appears that these measures might have been undertaken after the events in Kazakhstan and following announcements of Turkmen opposition members abroad on their intention to hold protests in Turkmenistan and outside the country.The post Special squadrons of Turkmenistan’s police on high alert to prevent protests first appeared on Chronicles of Turkmenistan.