In the city of Turkmenabad, mounting evidence points to growing pressure on government employees from ethnic minority backgrounds to alter their names to Turkmen equivalents. According to reports by turkmen.news, ethnic Uzbek names such as Sardon and Shukhrat are being replaced with Turkmenized versions like Serdar and Shokhrat.
Forced “Turkmenization”
Sources indicate that while this practice previously applied primarily to candidates for high-ranking government positions, it is now being extended to mid-level officials and rank-and-file employees. The pressure appears to be particularly intense within the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In recent years, individuals of non-Turkmen origin have reportedly been systematically excluded from employment in the ministry. While personal connections or influence once allowed some exceptions, ethnic Uzbek and Tajik applicants are now being rejected outright, despite ongoing staffing shortages and high attrition rates.
Several sources allege that these practices are being directed from the central government in Ashgabat. The same coercive approach is reportedly applied to secondary school graduates in the Lebap region, where students are encouraged or pressured to conceal their ethnic identities or change their names to Turkmen variants.
There are also claims that many Uzbeks previously registered themselves as Turkmen in older-style passports to avoid potential discrimination.
Ethnic Composition and Language Rights
Official data ranks the Lebap velayat as Turkmenistan’s second most ethnically diverse region, with a significant Uzbek population. In districts such as Farab and Dyaneva, Uzbeks comprise one-third or more of the population.
In neighboring Dashoguz region, Uzbeks officially represent nearly one-third of the population. However, similar to the Baluchi community in Mary province, they are denied the right to study their native language in schools, even as an elective subject.
Unspoken Employment Discrimination
Employment opportunities for non-Turkmens are most restricted in the Lebap and Dashoguz regions. New economic projects and job-creating initiatives are typically implemented last in these areas.
An unspoken rule reportedly prioritizes ethnic Turkmens for state employment. The Ministry of National Security screens applicants’ backgrounds across three generations, a practice known as uch arka maglumat.
Although Turkmenistan’s laws do not officially require candidates to be ethnically Turkmen and there are ethnic minorities in some senior posts, career advancement is significantly hindered for non-Turkmens.
Sources stress that ethnic discrimination in Turkmenistan is closely linked to the broader issue of systemic corruption. Government appointments and promotions are often determined not by merit, but by personal connections, bribery, or family lineage. As a result, officials frequently serve the interests of a narrow in-group rather than the public.
