| 03/04/2004 |
"Turkmanistan is one of the world's eight "worst" regimes, determined by their repression of civil liberties and political rights."
(Freedom House) |
| 03/04/2004 |
"Niyazov's taste for self-glorification even makes North Korea's Kim Jong Il look shy and retiring."
(David McKie/ The Guardian) |
| 03/04/2004 |
"Niyazov is a megalomaniac dictator."
(Tom Dine/ President Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) |
| 03/04/2004 |
"Turkmenistan under Niyazov is one of the most brutal totalitarian systems of the world."
(Belder,Bowis,Lagendijk/ Members of the European Parliament) |
| 03/04/2004 |
"Turkmenbashi the Great is committing mind-boggling rights abuses in Turkmenistan. There is a huge gap between the law as it is presented and the reality marked by terror and fear."
(Prof.Decaux, rapporteur to the OSCE) |
| 03/04/2004 |
"Niyazov has links to Afghanistan's Taliban and is also involved in narcotics trafficking and supporting terrorism."
(Rogozin, Head of the Russian State Duma's Foreign Relations Committee) |
| 03/04/2004 |
"Turkmenistan's persecution of political opponents and religious minorities violates the letter and the spirit of the Helsinki Final Act."
(Colin L.Powell, U.S. Secretary of State) |
| 03/04/2004 |
"Niyazov has turned himself into virtually a living god. Niyazov has made Turkmenistan the only one-party state in the former Soviet space, where one man decides everything, no opposition is permitted, all media are totally censored and the populace is forced to study the 'Ruhnama' - a dictator's rantings that purport to be a one-stop religion, national history and morality lesson"
(Congressman Christopher H.Smith, Chairman of the U.S.Helsinki Commission) |
| 03/04/2004 |
"There is one country in the OSCE region where I have basically put all the activities of my Office on hold. This is Turkmenistan, a dictatorial regime in our organisation, where the only function of the media is to glorify the President-for-life and destroy his opponents. Until civil liberties are reinstated I do not see any reason to work with the government. Of course, I will continue defending those reporters who run a foul of this racist dictatorship."
(Freimut Duve, OSCE Media Representative) |
| 03/04/2004 |
"The extent of the religious freedom violations in Turkmenistan demonstrates clearly the importance of U.S. action to ensure compliance with international human rights standards."
(Michael Young, USCIRF Chairman) |
| 02/04/2004 |
"Saparmurad Niyazov has succeeded in almost destroying the society in Turkmenistan. Every day he stays in power represents a further decline inš hope that Turkmenistan will ever emerge as a prosperous and pluralistic society. Niyazov - or Turkmenbashi (Father of the Turkmens) the Great - has developed a cult of personality exceeding that of Iraq's former dictator Saddam Hussein."
(International Crisis Group) |
