Ashyrbay Bekiev

Additional Name(s): Aşyrbaý Bekiýew, Ашырбай Бекиев

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Turkmenistan

Ethnic Group: Turkmen

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 23 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: May/16/2023

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief Transnational Repression

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Ashyrbay Bekiev

Extra Bio Info:

Ashyrbay Bekiev is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

In August or September 2023, Turkmen authorities detained Bekiev after he had been deported from Russia following years of accusations by the Turkmen government that he was spreading religious extremism. Since 2009, when Bekiev had legally immigrated to Russia, Turkmen authorities had been harassing Bekiev's family in Turkmenistan for their peaceful religious activities. In 2015, Turkmen authorities had placed Bekiev on the country's wanted list for allegedly promoting extremist, "Wahhabi" ideology through religious classes with Turkmen students in Russia.

In October 2023, a court in Dashoguz sentenced Bekiev to 23 years' imprisonment.

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