Niyazov

Croatia should not extradite the Pussy Riot supporter and activist Aysoltan Niyazova to Turkmenistan and should release her from detention, Amnesty International urged.

Turkmen leader Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov was certain to secure a third term in office in yesterday's presidential election, maintaining his grip on power in the isolated gas-rich nation. 

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov's Democratic Party has nominated him as a candidate in the February 2017 election, the state news agency reported late on Dec. 14. He is widely expected to secure a third term in office. 

Turkmenistan on Feb. 15 formally launched a "public discussion" over constitutional changes to extend the president's term and drop the age limit for candidates.

State media in the energy-rich ex-Soviet state on Feb. 15 backed moves to boost presidential terms from five to seven years and scrap the 70-year age limit for candidates.

The speaker of ex-Soviet Turkmenistan's pliant parliament has proposed constitutional changes extending the presidential term limit and removing the maximum age for the presidency, state media reported May 29.