Almost a decade ago a Turkmen journalist uncovered the widespread and systematic use of state-imposed forced labor in Turkmenistan’s annual cotton harvest. Forbidden Stories reports that after enduring eight years of persecution, he has died due to abuse suffered at the hands of government security forces retaliating for his reporting. 

Reporter “kicked the hornet’s nest”  

For two months journalist Khudayberdy Allashov worked for Radio Azatlyk, the Turkmen service of the American media Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Over those two months he investigated and wrote about forced labor in the cotton fields where he lived. In Turkmenistan, cotton production is a state-run enterprise, and President Berdymouhamedov runs the country with an iron fist. According to regional experts, Allashov’s reporting “kicked the hornet’s nest”. 

Farruh Yusupov, Radio Azatlyk’s editor-in-chief said: 

“He was persecuted solely for his work with us, every time we would report something from his area…they would come and pick him up.” 

Allashov was arrested for the first time at the end of 2016 just after the publication of an article containing interviews with those being forced to harvest cotton. During that two-and-a-half-month detention, and the multiple other times he was detained, he was tortured with electric shocks and regularly beaten. The authorities say he died of a liver problem due to alleged alcoholism. However, anonymous sources say it was blows received during those torture sessions and being denied treatment for his injuries that were responsible for Allashov’s death.  

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