Credit slavery: Turkmenistan blocks debtors from leaving the country

In Turkmenistan, citizens who have taken out loans from banks are facing a new obstacle: they are not allowed to leave the country. The authorities are tightening controls over the exit of the population, and now those who have loans cannot leave the country until their debts are fully repaid. This was reported by correspondents of Radio Azatlyk.

It is known that the problem is especially acute for residents of rural areas, such as the Balkan region, where unemployment and natural disasters force people to seek work abroad. Many citizens take out loans to pay for travel and cover the cost of obtaining visas, but their plans are ruined when migration service employees block their exit. The lists of those “barred from leaving” include those who have debts to banks. Some citizens who have already managed to buy tickets and even receive visas are faced with the fact that their passports are confiscated at the airport.

The situation is also worsened by the lack of transparency on the part of the authorities. People are not explained why they have been banned from leaving the country until they are about to fly out. Bureaucratic requirements are only becoming more complicated: previously, guarantors from among employees of state institutions who do not have loans were required to leave, which was already practically impossible. Now, even repaying loans does not guarantee freedom of movement.

This crisis is just one of many manifestations of the policy of the Turkmen authorities, who are increasingly tightening control over citizens. The lack of economic stability, a shortage of jobs and a growing number of restrictions create unbearable conditions for the population. People are forced to take out loans for basic needs, but they pay for this by losing the ability to move freely. This attitude towards its own citizens undermines all norms of the rule of law. Turkmenistan, where official rights are guaranteed only on paper, effectively deprives people of freedom of choice and movement. In conditions where the state does not provide adequate economic and social support, it, in fact, deprives its citizens of a chance for a better future.