Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Justice has launched an initiative to track former law enforcement officials who have left the country, requiring them to report their status. Travel restrictions for these individuals and students have been implemented, with passports being confiscated to prevent emigration, indicating the government’s growing concern over citizen mobility.
The Ministry of Justice of Turkmenistan has initiated a campaign to gather data on former Interior Ministry officials to monitor those who have left the country. This effort is part of a broader strategy to restrict citizens’ travel abroad. The focus is on retired law enforcement officers who held ranks of major or higher between 1991 and 2024, with the initiative expected to conclude by the end of April 2025.
Since its inception, the Ministry has collaborated with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of National Security, and other agencies to identify retired officers living abroad. The government’s suspicion stems from inspections that revealed instances of former officers settling in foreign countries. This initiative is also thought to be influenced by the controversy surrounding Rustam Inoyatov, the former chief of Uzbekistan’s National Security Service, who emigrated through a citizenship program.
Heightened scrutiny is directed at those with professional connections to Inoyatov. Retired officers must now report their current residence and employment, while families of deceased officers are tasked with providing documentation relating to death and burial.
Travel permissions for retired law enforcement now require official health-related authorization to leave the country. This move is consistent with previous restrictions; in September 2024, public sector workers were compelled to surrender their biometric passports. Observers suggest these actions correlate with a rising trend of citizens emigrating in search of better opportunities.
In addition to former officers, students have also faced stringent travel constraints. Reports from fall 2024 indicate that students at Turkmen universities must surrender their passports to prevent international travel. Those who refuse to comply risk being denied admission, a practice that has reportedly been enforced for two years as a means to mitigate youth migration.
The new initiatives by Turkmenistan’s government to monitor and impose travel restrictions on former law enforcement officials and students signify an ongoing effort to control citizen mobility. The campaign targeting retired officers aims to track those who have relocated abroad, while students surrendering their passports underscores a robust stance against potential emigration. Collectively, these measures reflect broader concerns regarding citizen emigration and geopolitical dynamics.
Original Source: timesca.com
