Corruption and Lack of Digital Development: Turkmenistan Remains Among the Most Closed States

The Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “Dayanch” Turkmenistan draws the attention of the international community to the ongoing systemic problems of corruption and lack of transparency in the state institutions of Turkmenistan. According to Transparency International, Turkmenistan ranks 170th out of 180 countries in the global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), placing the country among the most corrupt states in the world. The report notes that authoritarian control over state institutions by Turkmen ruling elites has firmly taken root, with corruption being used as a tool to sustain power and evade accountability. Additional evidence of systemic problems can be seen in the area of digital governance. According to the GovTech Maturity Index, Turkmenistan ranks last in public sector digitalization among countries in Europe and Central Asia, even behind countries experiencing severe political and economic crises, including Afghanistan. This situation demonstrates not only technological backwardness but also the closed nature of the state system, the lack of transparency, and the limited access of citizens to public services and information. The Human Rights Platform of the Civic Movement “Dayanch” Turkmenistan emphasizes that combating corruption, ensuring transparency in public administration, and developing digital government institutions are essential conditions for protecting citizens’ rights and building a truly open society. Without genuine reforms and government accountability, corruption continues to undermine social development, economic progress, and public trust in state institutions.