The European Union and Turkmenistan held their eighteenth annual Human Rights Dialogue on 22 June 2026 in Ashgabat, with the EU raising serious concerns over conditions of detention, alleged torture, transnational repression of human rights defenders, and calling for the decriminalisation of consensual same-sex relations. The EU welcomed Turkmenistan's openness to dialogue in the context of intensified high-level engagement with Central Asia, according to a press release from the European External Action Service dated 24 June 2026.
Discussions covered rule of law, fundamental freedoms, environmental, social, economic, labour rights, and gender equality. The EU handed over a list of individual cases of concern to the Turkmen side. The EU commended constructive cooperation between Turkmenistan and the International Labour Organization to address forced and child labour, and both sides welcomed a recently launched EU-funded bilateral project with the ILO. The EU also acknowledged the intensification of the work of the Office of the Ombudsperson and welcomed her active participation in the Dialogue.
Turkmenistan shared plans to implement commitments on women's rights, children's rights, and the rights of persons with disabilities, and presented recent developments in economic, social, and cultural rights. The EU urged Turkmenistan to adopt effective anti-discrimination measures and to continue efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence, including through the criminalisation of domestic violence. The EU also called for the decriminalisation of consensual same-sex relations.
Serious concerns were raised about conditions of detention for persons deprived of liberty, including reports of torture and ill-treatment. The EU called on Turkmenistan to cooperate consistently with civil society on issues of enforced disappearances. The EU commended Turkmenistan's efforts to address statelessness and urged it to ensure that all Turkmen citizens residing abroad have access to consular services without discrimination. The EU reiterated the importance of freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of movement, freedom of association, the right to information, and independent media, stressing the need for unrestricted internet access for all Turkmen citizens and encouraging further steps to create a safe and enabling environment for civil society.
The EU encouraged Turkmenistan to implement recommendations from the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and from the Universal Periodic Review, and underlined the importance of establishing a concrete plan with specific dates to facilitate pending visits by all UN special procedures. The EU emphasised that respect for human rights remains a key guiding principle for the development of bilateral relations. Both parties agreed to continue strengthening their cooperation on this basis.
The Turkmen delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mehri Byashimova; the EU delegation was led by the Head of the Central Asia Division of the European External Action Service Dietmar Krissler. The Ombudswoman of Turkmenistan, Yazdursun Gurbannazarova, and the Deputy Minister of Education of Turkmenistan, Azat Atayev, also participated. The next Dialogue is scheduled to take place in Brussels in 2027.