More and more citizens in Turkmenistan are facing delays in obtaining internal passports, which is making their lives much more difficult. As it has become known, even teenagers who have turned 16 and who are required to obtain a passport by law are waiting for the document for several months or even a year. Meanwhile, the authorities are citing the lack of forms, but the problem is much deeper. This was reported by Radio Azatlyk.
It is reported that many believe that delays in issuing passports are related to the authorities’ attempts to control the outflow of the population. The situation is aggravated by economic difficulties, which are pushing people to emigrate. Young people, immediately after receiving a passport, apply for a foreign passport to leave the country, which has created huge queues. To obtain an internal passport quickly – in a week or less – you need to pay a bribe, which can reach $200.
Corruption in the country has taken root at all levels. Obtaining a passport is a very complicated process: without a bribe, people have to wait from several months to two years. Moreover, citizens are often forced to sell their property to pay for the necessary documents.
In Turkmenistan, talking about the well-being of the population becomes meaningless when even the basic things guaranteed by the Constitution are not fulfilled. People essentially lack the right to a normal life: they cannot freely obtain the necessary documents, they do not have access to quality education, health care, and their right to movement is limited. Even elections, which, in essence, should be a reflection of democracy, have turned into a formality in Turkmenistan. Voting in presidential elections is neither objective nor democratic, and the real will of citizens is ignored. A system has been established in the country where any interaction with government agencies requires a bribe, and without it, basic rights remain inaccessible.
Turkmenistan is mired in corruption, which literally controls the lives of citizens at all levels. This deprives them of the opportunity to exercise their rights and violates the fundamental principles of freedom and justice enshrined in both international documents and the laws of the country.
