Current situation: Died in prison in the beginning of August 2016. His body was released to the family by the authorities for burial. Prior to that, no information on his whereabouts and condition had been available.

Source: Gundogar. “Skonchalsya politzaklyuchennyi po delu “25 noyabrya” Vekil Durdyev” 26.08.2016. http://www.gundogar.org/?022500000000000000011062016080000. Assessed on 30.08.2016.

Date of Birth: Unknown

Citizenship: Turkmen

Residence at time of arrest: Unknown

Position when arrested: Retired

Date of arrest: He was arrested on December 9, 2002 in Ashgabat on suspicion of links with those associated with the alleged November 2002 coup attempt. After his arrest, Durdyev was placed in solitary confinement in the pre-trial detention center of the Ministry of National Security.[1]

Charges: Participation in the alleged assassination attempt on President Niyazov. He was convicted in January 2003 of violating Article 14-101 Part 2, paragraph “a”, “b”, “f”, “g”, “h”, “i”, “l”, 129 Part 3, Part 1 169, 2 174, part 2, 176 part 1, part 2, 214, 218 Part 1, 2.3, 231 Part 4, paragraph “a” , “b”, 235 part 2, paragraph “a”, “b”, 254 part 4, paragraph “a”, “b”, 271, part 3, 273 part 1, part 1 275 287 h .3 of the Turkmenistan Criminal Code.[3]

Sentence: He was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment: 5 years in prison; and the rest in a prison colony with confiscation of property, followed by living in a prescribed place for 5 years and the prohibition to hold substantive and responsible management positions for 3 years.[4]

Biography: He is a retired colonel, former employee of the National Security Committee, and former Consul General of Turkmenistan in Mashhad, Iran. On January 28, 2000, he was appointed Chairman of the State Committee for Tourism and Sport. He has been retired since 2001.

———————

[1] Ferghana.ru. “Istochniki v Turkmenistane soobshchayut o provedennykh novykh arestakh.” 15.12.2002 http://www.fergananews.com/articles/1191. Accessed on 15 April 2014.

[2] Gundogar. “Ashkhabadskaya tragediya. Sledstviye, aresty, pytki” 19.11.2012. http://www.gundogar.org/?0120513081000000000000013000000. Accessed on 15 April 2014.

[3] Memorial. “Vragi naroda (Tyrkmenskogo) na stranitsah Ashgabatskovo Ejedelnika ‘Adolat’” Translation.” 04.02.2003. Accessed on 10 January 2014.

[4] Ibid.