Where Are Alisher Sahatov and Abdulla Orusov? The Case of the Missing Turkmen Activists Raised in the Turkish Parliament

Where Are Alisher Sahatov and Abdulla Orusov? The Case of the Missing Turkmen Activists Raised in the Turkish Parliament The Human Rights Platform of the Civil Movement “Dayanç Turkmenistan” welcomes the fact that the fate of the missing Turkmen activists Alisher Sahatov and Abdulla Orusov has been publicly raised by the Member of the Turkish Parliament Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu. The disappearance of the two activists, whose contact was lost on 24 July 2025, has long ceased to be only a personal tragedy for their families. Today it has become a matter concerning the protection of fundamental human rights, the transparency of state institutions, and accountability before the international community. During a live broadcast on his social media channel on X (Twitter), Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu discussed the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the activists. The program included Gullala Hasanova, the wife of Alisher Sahatov, and lawyer Kader Sevimli, who represents the interests of the missing men. According to the parliamentarian, despite a decision by the Constitutional Court of Turkey, which indicated a risk of violations of the right to life and the prohibition of torture, the activists’ whereabouts remain unknown after claims that they were allegedly released from the Edirne Removal Center. Gergerlioğlu addressed the authorities with a direct and principled question: “Where are Alisher Sahatov and Abdulla Orusov?” “My children have been asking about their father for months” One of the most emotional moments of the broadcast was the testimony of Gullala Hasanova, the wife of Alisher Sahatov. She explained that their family had been living in Turkey for 7.5 years and had no legal problems. According to her, her husband became a target because of his civil activism and his criticism of human rights violations in Turkmenistan. Hasanova said that on April 28, her husband was taken from their home, after which he was first transferred to Ankara and later to the Edirne Removal Center. Until July 24, 2025, he remained in contact with the family and regularly called home. However, during the last phone call he said: “The phone infrastructure is being updated, you may not be able to reach me for some time.” After that, all contact with him was lost. According to Hasanova, other detainees from the removal center told her that her husband had been transferred to another location, yet later the lawyer was told that he had allegedly been released. However, she stresses that a man so devoted to his family would never disappear voluntarily and leave his wife and four children without contact. She stated: “I have four children. My youngest son asks every day where his father is. Teachers from the school call and say that the children are very worried. I only want my husband to be found.” Serious questions about the investigation Lawyer Kader Sevimli pointed to a number of serious legal inconsistencies and procedural violations. According to her, the activists were assigned the code G-82 (“threat to public order”), which is typically applied to individuals considered security threats. However, she stated that the accusations were directly linked to their opposition activities against the authorities of Turkmenistan. Particularly alarming was the claim that shortly before the activists disappeared, the security threat codes were lifted with the approval of Turkey’s intelligence service MIT. Furthermore, according to the lawyer, there are serious irregularities in the release documents. In particular, the signatures on the documents do not belong to Alisher Sahatov, and the files contain information that does not correspond to reality. Surveillance camera footage was not collected Another troubling issue raised by the lawyer is that prosecutors in Edirne and Sinop reportedly closed investigations quickly, citing lack of jurisdiction. At the same time, surveillance camera recordings and MOBESE security system footage, which are normally among the first pieces of evidence collected in disappearance cases, were not gathered. These circumstances raise serious concerns about the transparency and effectiveness of the investigation. The case has reached the international level Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu stated that the disappearance of the activists has now gone beyond being a domestic issue and has become an international human rights concern. He announced that he intends to raise the issue before: the European Parliament the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances It was also noted that human rights defenders have already held actions in front of international institutions to draw attention to the disappearance of the Turkmen activists. Representatives of the Human Rights Platform of the Civil Movement “Dayanç Turkmenistan” also held a protest action at the OSCE platform, aiming to draw the attention of the international community to the fate of Alisher Sahatov and Abdulla Orusov. We believe that this case requires: the immediate clarification of the activists’ whereabouts an independent and transparent investigation a review of the actions of relevant state institutions international monitoring of the investigation. A question that must not disappear The Human Rights Platform of the Civil Movement “Dayanç Turkmenistan” expresses solidarity with the families of Alisher Sahatov and Abdulla Orusov and will continue to seek truth and justice. Where are Alisher Sahatov and Abdulla Orusov? This question must continue to be asked until an official, transparent and verified answer is provided. Sources Turkish media reports: Bağımsız Kocaeli https://www.bagimsizkocaeli.com.tr/siyaset/gergerlioglu-turkiyedeki-geri-gonderme-merkezinde-kaybolanlar-nerede-h332776.html⁠� Evrensel https://www.evrensel.net/haber/5974628/gergerlioglu-edirne-ggmdeki-kayip-iddialarini-sordu-alisher-sahatov-ve-abdulla-orusov-nerede⁠� Official page of Turkish MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu: https://x.com/gergerliogluof⁠�