On August 16, Turkmen activists, accompanied by two Turkish human rights activists and a lawyer, attempted to send a written appeal to Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov through the Turkmen consulate in Istanbul.
According to the Turkmen Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, the participants recorded a video, reading a message to the head of Turkmenistan in front of the consulate building, and then entered the courtyard of the diplomatic mission.
Six employees of the consulate came out to the Turkmen citizens, among whom the activists identified one named Merdan Mustakov . Employees of the diplomatic department began insulting and beating two women and three men who turned to them. According to an eyewitness, they also attacked the accompanying lawyer, and one of the women was thrown to the ground.
38-year-old Atamurad Saparov received serious injuries from a blow to the head with a heavy object . He needed medical attention.
Arriving at the scene, the police, who were called by the consulate, detained Saparov, Dursoltan Taganova and one Turkish human rights activist.
According to eyewitnesses present at the scene, the activists did not provoke a fight - the lawyer politely asked to accept the document, and the activists silently stood by. Nevertheless, employees of the Turkmen diplomatic mission attacked people, wringing their hands and insulting them, and seized phones from some activists.
Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan