The Turkmen government has pardoned more than 3,700 prisoners, including around 30 foreigners, and released them from prison.
Announcing the amnesty, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov said on national television that "in Turkmenistan, we systematically pardon citizens of our own country and foreign states who have strayed, accepted their guilt and sincerely repented."
The latest amnesty comes shortly before the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and continues the practice begun by Berdymukhammedov's predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov, of releasing large numbers of prisoners to mark significant dates.
Reuters