When Connections Become Stronger Than the Law: The Case of Jeren and Questions for Arkadag Mayor Gulshat Mammedova

When Connections Become Stronger Than the Law: The Case of Jeren and Questions for Arkadag Mayor Gulshat Mammedova Can a high-ranking relative’s position in Turkmenistan effectively shield someone from criminal accountability—even when allegations involve sexual violence against a woman and a child? The case of Jeren and her 11-year-old daughter raises precisely this disturbing question. On 24 July 2026, Turkmen.news published new information concerning the case of a Turkmen woman named Jeren and her minor daughter. According to the publication, for many months Jeren has been seeking to have Mesgen Akmammedov held accountable. She accuses him of sexual violence against her and sexually abusive conduct toward her 11-year-old daughter. The publication reports that the case includes medical examinations, psychological and psychiatric assessments of the child, witness testimony, and other materials which, according to Jeren, support her allegations. Nevertheless, according to Turkmen.news, criminal proceedings have repeatedly been terminated or have otherwise failed to move forward. But another aspect of this case raises particularly serious questions. The Name of Gulshat Mammedova and the Question of Possible Protection According to information published by Turkmen.news, citing Jeren and a source from Akmammedov’s circle, Mesgen Akmammedov may be related to Gulshat Mammedova, Mayor (Hyakim) of the city of Arkadag. The publication cites a source claiming that Sakhy and Khudayberdy are brothers and that, consequently, Akmammedov is allegedly Gulshat Mammedova’s nephew. This is an extremely serious claim and must therefore be treated precisely as information published by the media that requires independent official verification, rather than as a fact established by a court. This, however, raises the central question: If the information about the family relationship is accurate, did Gulshat Mammedova or anyone associated with her exert any direct or indirect influence over the investigation? If not, the Turkmen authorities should be able to demonstrate this through a transparent and independent investigation. If such influence did occur, then this is no longer merely about a single criminal case. It would raise the possibility that state influence was used to protect a person accused of extremely serious acts against a woman and a child. If You Are Influential, Can You Get Away With Anything? This is precisely the impression created when a citizen approaches the police and prosecutors, provides evidence, undergoes examinations, finds witnesses, appeals decisions—and the case is repeatedly brought to a halt. According to Turkmen.news, Meylis Berdyev, an investigator with the Prosecutor’s Office of the Bagtyyarlyk District, and prosecutor Gurbangeldy Chopanov classified Akmammedov’s alleged actions under Article 134, Part 2(a), of the Criminal Code of Turkmenistan and, in January 2026, submitted a request to initiate criminal proceedings. However, according to the publication, that request was rejected. Jeren subsequently appealed to the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Ashgabat City Prosecutor’s Office. The published material states that she later received another response informing her that the criminal case had been closed “due to the absence of elements of a crime.” Particularly alarming are reports that, after Jeren continued seeking justice, pressure was allegedly redirected against the complainant herself. According to Jeren, she has been placed under surveillance, her communications have been monitored, she has repeatedly been summoned by various state bodies, and lawyers she approached subsequently began avoiding cooperation with her. She also states that she is subject to a restriction preventing her from leaving Turkmenistan. All these allegations require independent verification. But a state cannot respond to allegations of possible abuse of power with even greater secrecy. The Most Disturbing Part of This Case Is the Child Amid discussions of prosecutors, official positions, connections, and senior officials, one fundamental fact must not be forgotten. At the centre of this case is a child. According to Turkmen.news, the girl experienced such severe psychological distress that she attempted suicide. Before doing so, she reportedly cut her hair and prepared a note asking that her stepfather be punished. The publication states that psychologists and psychiatrists examined the child on several occasions and that witness testimony and video evidence were also available. If even part of this information is accurate, the state had an obligation to place the child’s safety above official positions, personal connections, family ties, and the reputation of any public official. A child should not have to prove to the state that she deserves protection. The state has a duty to protect the child. An Appeal to Gulshat Mammedova—as a Woman, a Mother, and a Public Official Dear Gulshat Sakhyevna Mammedova, Today, your name is being publicly mentioned in connection with a man whom a woman accuses of serious sexual violence against her and sexually abusive conduct toward her minor daughter. Without an independent investigation, we do not claim that you intervened in this case. That is precisely why we are addressing you publicly. If the published information concerning the family relationship is accurate, distance yourself from any possible interference in the investigation and publicly state that your name, office, and influence must never be used to shield relatives from the law. As a woman, hear another woman. As a mother, think first and foremost about the child. As a public official, call not for this case to be silenced, but for a lawful, independent, and impartial investigation. If your relative is innocent, an independent investigation should establish that. If he is guilty, family connections must not protect him from accountability. That is what the rule of law means. No career can be more important than the safety of a child. No family name should stand above the law. An Appeal to the Authorities of Turkmenistan We appeal to the Prosecutor General’s Office of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, other competent state institutions, and the country’s leadership. The case of Jeren and her daughter must be reviewed anew, with genuine guarantees of an independent investigation. The authorities must examine not only the original allegations, but also the circumstances surrounding the termination of criminal proceedings; any possible pressure on investigators, prosecutors, witnesses, or lawyers; reports of surveillance against Jeren; and the alleged restriction on her right to leave the country. Particular attention must be given to determining whether any high-ranking officials or individuals associated with them influenced the course of the case. Jeren and her daughter must be protected from pressure, intimidation, and retaliation. Most importantly, the child must be provided with safety, confidentiality, and qualified psychological support. Repeatedly subjecting a minor to questioning and examinations in ways that may cause further trauma is unacceptable. An Appeal to the United Nations and the International Community We also appeal to the United Nations, foreign diplomatic missions, international human rights organisations, and international mechanisms responsible for protecting the rights of women and children. Please pay attention to the case of Jeren and her minor daughter. This case concerns more than one family. It is a test of whether a state can protect a woman and a child when the alleged perpetrator may have influential connections. We call on international bodies, within the scope of their respective mandates, to request information from the Turkmen authorities concerning the investigation, the protective measures provided to the mother and child, the grounds on which criminal proceedings were terminated, and the reports of pressure against the complainant. Silence in cases like this risks creating an environment of impunity. Either the Law Applies Equally to Everyone, or It Is No Longer the Rule of Law Jeren’s case confronts Turkmenistan with a question that cannot be answered by yet another formal bureaucratic response. What happens when an ordinary woman confronts a person who is allegedly backed by influential relatives? Does the law apply with full force to those who are poor and have no connections, while criminal cases disappear when a relative holds a senior government position? If this is not the case, the authorities must demonstrate otherwise—not through statements, but through a transparent investigation. We are not demanding that anyone be declared guilty without a trial. We are demanding precisely what, according to the published information, this family has so far been denied: an independent investigation, safety for the mother and child, and equality before the law. Because alleged violence against a child is not a private family dispute. It is not a matter of protecting an official’s reputation. It is not a problem that can simply be closed through an administrative decision. It is a question of children’s rights, women’s rights, and the state’s ability to fulfil its most fundamental obligation: to protect people, not power, influence, or official status. No public official should stand above the law. No relative of a public official should enjoy immunity from the law. And no child should have to pay with her health or her life for someone else’s connections. This article is based on information published by Turkmen.news on 24 July 2026. Allegations concerning criminal conduct, family relationships, and possible interference by public officials that have not been established by a final court judgment are presented as claims made by the complainant, sources, and the media and require independent verification.