Next week, eyes will be on Turkmenistan as the 2017 Asian Games opens. This is a crucial opportunity to bring attention to Gaspar Matalaev, who remains in prison on spurious charges, after his detention in October 2016. We’re grateful that you have added your name to the petition, now can you help us make more noise?
Tell your friends to join you to help secure Gaspar's release.
Before the Sochi Games commenced, attention brought to environmental and LGBT abuses in Russia resulted in the release of several activists in the run-up to the 2014 Winter Olympics.[1] We believe the same can happen again with your help. Big sponsors including Coca Cola, LG, Hyundai and Mastercard will be supporting this year’s Asian Games and should make clear that Turkmenistan’s imprisonment of Gaspar Matalaev is unacceptable.
Gaspar’s arrest came two days after he published a report on the tens of thousands of citizens mobilized into forced and child labor in the 2016 cotton harvest and one day after the Minister of National Security was severely reprimanded by the Turkmen President at a State Security Council meeting for not properly repressing activism in the country.[2] It is clear Gaspar’s arrest was politically motivated.
Share the campaign so that we have even more names to show corporate sponsors and the Turkmen government.
You’ll remember we launched the petition for Gaspar and sent him birthday messages on June 15 to show our support to his family that he’s not forgotten. It’s a challenging time knowing Gaspar has reportedly been subjected to torture by electric current to force him to confess to false charges of minor fraud.[3]
Whilst eyes are on Turkmenistan, let’s draw attention to courageous monitors like Gaspar, who put themselves at risk to help others.
In solidarity,
Miriam, Joanna, and the Freedom United Team
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