Turkmenistan's Top Prosecutor Fired For 'Failing To Fight Corruption'

Interior Minister Isgender Mulikov (center) was reprimanded due to the presence of acts of corruption among police officials.

Turkmenistan's prosecutor-general has been dismissed for "failing to fight corruption among law enforcement officers," Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov said.

Berdymukhammedov harshly criticized Amanmyrat Khallyev at a State Security Council session on May 4, saying he had been "unable to prevent corruption in a timely fashion" among police and prosecutors.

Khallyev's removal from the post of prosecutor-general was approved by parliament the same day.

Berdymukhammedov also announced a formal reprimand for Interior Minister Isgender Mulikov, citing corruption among police officials.

The president also said that several other officials at the prosecutor's office and in the Interior Ministry were sacked, and urged Supreme Court Chairman Begench Charyev to examine their actions “thoroughly."

Berdymukhammedov has ruled the gas-rich former Soviet republic in Central Asia with an iron fist since the death of his autocratic predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov, in December 2006.