Additional Name(s): Kakadjan Abdullaevich Halbaev, Халбаев Какаджан Абдуллаевич, Halbaýew Kakajan Abdullaýewiç

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Turkmenistan

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Rejected

Sentence: 15 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: February/6/2018

Date of Sentencing: April/27/2018

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Possession of Religious Materials Religious Activity Travel Abroad Unregistered Religious Activity

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Hate Speech Public Disorder Treason & Sedition

Kakadjan Halbaev

Extra Bio Info:

Kakadjan Halbaev is imprisoned for his religious activity.

On February 6, 2018, authorities detained Halbaev–a former student studying in St. Petersburg, Russia–under administrative arrest for petty hooliganism (Art. 345 TAC) after summoning him to the police department. That same day police came to his home and confiscated a Qur’an, a backpack, and various electronics. The month before, Halbaev had visited with employees of the Ministry of National Security who questioned him about Turkmens in St. Petersburg and his religious activity.

On February 15, 2018, authorities criminally detained Halbaev, accusing him of joining various Muslim religious movements not registered in Turkmenistan and engaging in anti-state activities against Turkmenistan while in St. Petersburg. His arrest, however, appears to stem from his discussions about religion and other topics with other Turkmens living in St. Petersburg. At the time of his criminal arrest, a government official reportedly told Halbaev’s family that he had been arrested because a sermon was found on his computer.

On April 27, 2018, the Ashgabat City Court sentenced Halbaev to 15 years in prison for "conspiracy to seize power" (Art. 174-1 TCC), "calls to violent change of the constitutional order" (Art. 175-2 TCC), “inciting social, national, ethnic, racial or religious hostility” (Art. 177-3 TCC), "creating an organized criminal group" (Art. 275-1 TCC), and “participating in an organized criminal group” (Art. 275-2 TCC).

On May 23, 2018, the Supreme Court upheld Halbaev’s sentence.

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