Turkish MP Demands Answers in Case of Missing Turkmen Activists

Turkish Parliamentarian Demands Answers: Where Are Alisher Sahatov and Abdulla Orusov? On 4 May 2026, Member of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye from DEM Party Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu issued a strong public statement regarding the case of missing Turkmen civil activists Alisher Sahatov and Abdulla Orusov, whose whereabouts have remained unknown for nearly one year. Speaking in front of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Ankara, Gergerlioğlu called on Turkish authorities to immediately disclose information regarding the activists’ whereabouts and provide the public with a transparent account of the investigation. According to his statement: both activists were transferred from Sinop to Ankara on 28 April 2025; despite the absence of lawful grounds for detention, they were sent to the Edirne Removal Center; the Constitutional Court of Türkiye found that their rights had been violated; on 24 July 2025, after their release, they disappeared under unexplained circumstances. Gergerlioğlu emphasized: “They did not simply fail to return home — they were prevented from returning.” The parliamentarian directly addressed the Turkish Ministry of Interior and demanded clarification as to whether: the activists were forcibly disappeared; they were illegally transferred to Turkmenistan; or whether another serious crime occurred. Particular concern was raised over the fact that surveillance footage from the Edirne Removal Center has still not been made public, despite repeated demands from the families, lawyers, and human rights defenders. It was also noted that submissions by the activists’ legal representatives to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances have not resulted in satisfactory explanations from the Turkish side. This statement constitutes further international confirmation that the case of Alisher Sahatov and Abdulla Orusov remains an unresolved international human rights scandal, and the lack of transparency from Turkish authorities continues to intensify concerns regarding possible enforced disappearance, unlawful rendition, or other grave human rights violations. Human rights defenders continue to demand: full disclosure of the circumstances of the disappearance; publication of investigative materials; international oversight of the case; and accountability for all individuals involved. Source: Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu Web — “Gergerlioğlu’ndan Sert Çağrı: Kayıp Türkmen Aktivistler Nerede?” https://gergerlioglu.com.tr/gergerlioglundan-sert-cagri-kayip-turkmen-aktivistler-nerede/⁠� Photo: Taken from the above-mentioned source.