[CivilSoc] Round Table--Human Rights in Turkmenistan, Oct. 21, OSI, New York

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ROUNDTABLE- Human Rights in Turkmenistan, Oct. 21, Central Eurasia Project,
OSI
 The Central Eurasia Project invites you to attend:
*** Roundtable: Human Rights in Turkmenistan ***
with Arkdady Dubnov, Vyacheslav Mamedov, Avdy Kuliev, Vitaly Ponomaryov
Monday, October 21, 2002, 2:00 - 3:30 pm
Open Society Institute
400 West 59th Street, Room 3B, New York, NY 10019
A widely-recognized expert on Central Asia and Turkmenistan, Arkdady Dubnov
has been actively involved in the region since 1990, when he traveled to
Tadjikistan and Afghanistan to cover the Tadjik civil war as an independent
journalist.  Having worked for several leading Russian newspapers, Dubnov
has interviewed presidents and political opposition alike, including
Niyazov, President of Turkmenistan.  Currently, he is a journalist for
"Vremya Novostei" (Time for News) newspaper and correspondent of RFE/Rl's
Russian and Turkmen services.
Vyacheslav Mamedov has been an active player in  Turkmenistan civil society
since 1993, when he co-founded an ecological organization in the city of
Krasnovodsk (currently Turkmenbashi), which was later transformed into
Flamingo Educational Center.  In 1992-1999, Mamedov served on the board of
the Russian Community of Turkmenistan, and in January 1999, he was arrested
by secret police for his work, to be released two weeks later under
significant pressure by international organizations.  Mamedov continues his
work as a civil society activist in the difficult conditions of
Turkmenistan, most recently joining the initiative to found Turkmenistan
Helsinki Group.
>From 1990-92, Avdy Kuliev was Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan.  In 1992, he
left the government in protest of President Niyazov's increasingly
repressive policies and had to flee the country, relocating to Moscow, where
he has lived ever since.  In 1993, Kuliev founded Turkmenistan Foundation,
which subsequently became a leading outlet of expression for opposition in
exile.  Since late 1990-ies, Kuliev has also been chairman of the United
Democratic Opposition of Turkmenistan, publishing "Erkin Turkmenistan" (Free
Turkmenistan) magazine.
Vitaly Ponomaryov is a one of the leading human rights experts on the five
former Soviet Central Asian republics. Ponomaryov began his human rights
work in late 80-ies, and since early 90-ies, he has been involved in
numerous research and human rights projects on Central Asia.  In 1998 and
1999, Ponomaryov was deported from Turkmenistan for his investigative human
rights work in that country.  Currently, he is director of the Central Asian
Program at the Memorial Human Rights Center.  Ponomaryov has written several
books and articles on the region.
To RSVP please fax this sheet to Erin Finnerty at (212) 548-4607 or e-mail a
response to efinnerty@sorosny.org.
Name:
Affiliation:
E-mail address:
___ I will attend the October 21st event.
___ I will not attend the October 21st event.
If you are unable to attend, you can read a synopsis of the Open Forum and
subscribe to a weekly news bulletin at <www.EurasiaNet.org>.
Erin Finnerty
Program Associate
Central Eurasia Project
Open Society Institute
400 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019
Tel: (212) 548-0679
Fax: (212) 548-4607
www.EurasiaNet.org