Watchdog

The human rights groups Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have released statements expressing concern over detained RFE/RL Turkmen correspondent Rovshen Yazmuhamedov, saying he is at risk of torture.

“Though charges against him have not been disclosed by authorities, there are fears that he may have been targeted in connection with his work and that he is at grave risk of torture,” the statement from Amnesty International said.

RSF said Yazmuhamedov’s detention “represents a gross violation of his constitutional rights and the international conventions ratified by Turkmenistan.”

HRW said in a statement issued on May 11 that Turkmen authorities "should immediately free or credibly charge" Yazmuhamedov, who was arrested for "unreported reasons."

Yazmuhamedov was detained on May 6 in Turkmenabat in eastern Turkmenistan but his family was only able to get word out about the detention on May 9.

Amnesty International noted in its statement that “RFE/RL is one of the few remaining sources of independent information about life in Turkmenistan."

BAKU -– An RFE/RL correspondent has been detained in Azerbaijan while reporting on a land dispute protest by villagers in the Imisli district near the border with Iran.

RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service correspondent Azer Eli was recording video of the villagers as they tried to herd about 150 of their cattle in front of the district governor's office.

The protesters say a pasture belonging to them was seized by residents of a nearby village.

Police dispersed the demonstrators before they reached the governor's office.

Eli was released pending an appearance in court on May 11.

He was told by police he would be charged with organizing an unapproved demonstration.

Vuqar Qadirov, an activist from the opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, was also detained along with several other demonstrators. They were released later without charge.