RFE/RL's TURKMEN SERVICE

In Brief

• Language: Turkmen
• Coverage: Six hours daily
• Frequency: MW, SW, Satellite
• Internet: RFE/RL's Turkmen Service does not have a website. Internet access in Turkmenistan is severely restricted.

History

• RFE/RL began broadcasting in the Turkmen language in 1953 as part of Radio Liberty. A separate Turkmen Service was established in 1978, with an initial 15-minute daily program.
• Today, RFE/RL's Turkmen Service broadcasts six hours of programming daily via shortwave, mediumwave, and satellite.
• Radio Azatlyk is known for its special programs on human rights, youth, women, and culture, and for its radio dramas.
• There is strict censorship of information and of the news media in Turkmenistan. Journalists for RFE/RL's Turkmen Service -- who provide the only source of independent information in the country -- are regularly subjected to threats and harassment by the authorities.
• In September 2006, 58-year-old Ogulsapar Muradova, a correspondent for RFE/RL's Turkmen Service and a mother of three, died under suspicious circumstances while in Turkmen custody. She had been reporting on deteriorating social conditions in Turkmenistan at the time of her arrest, on charges of allegedly possessing banned weapons. Human rights groups said the charges were fabricated.
• Muradova's name appears on a memorial in Bayeux, France, erected by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to honor journalists killed on the job.

Highlights

• The program "Inside View" is based on reports by on-the-ground correspondents in Turkmenistan. The correspondents work under difficult conditions, including constant surveillance by local authorities.
• "Great Turkmen Personalities" is a one-hour program focusing on historic figures who have contributed to the development of Turkmen society.
• One of the most popular programs is "Weekly Roundtable," which brings together experts, human-rights and civic activists to discuss issues facing Turkmen society, including issues of freedom, democracy, human rights, and respect for the rule of law.
• In 2006, novelist, historian, and Turkmen Service correspondent Rahim Esenov received the PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom To Write award. The award recognizes prominent figures who have been persecuted or imprisoned for exercising or defending the right to freedom of expression.
• In February 2008, the Turkmen Service began receiving questions, news tips, and feedback from listeners via SMS text-messaging on mobile phones.