Turkmenistan Intensifies Crackdown on Use of Uzbek SIM Cards Along Border

Authorities in Turkmenistan have launched a new campaign against residents in border areas who use SIM cards from mobile operators in Uzbekistan, as the government continues to tighten controls on internet access and communications. According to Radio Azatlyk, the Turkmen Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, police have begun inspections in more than 60 settlements in Dashoguz Province, which borders Uzbekistan. Local residents told the outlet that security officers have been searching for people using Uzbek SIM cards and confiscating the cards during raids. Residents of the village of Diýýar said that over the past few days alone, Uzbek SIM cards were seized from 10 families. People caught using foreign mobile services reportedly face varying consequences. In some cases, police issue only a warning, particularly if individuals say they use the internet simply to pass the time or are unable to pay a fine. Others risk much harsher penalties, including fines of 50,000 manats or imprisonment. The fine is equivalent to about $14,300 at the official exchange rate and just over $2,500 at the black-market rate. Authorities have reportedly warned that using foreign telecommunications services may be treated as espionage on behalf of another country. Residents interviewed by Radio Azatlyk said many people living near the border with Uzbekistan rely on Uzbek mobile networks because local providers offer weak signals or fail to provide reliable internet access. One resident claimed that internet speeds from Uzbek mobile operators are about 300 times as fast as those available through Turkmen providers. “Our government cannot provide citizens with quality communications. It can only suppress and block,” another border resident told the outlet. The latest campaign follows earlier measures by Turkmen authorities to restrict alternative ways of accessing the internet. In April, law enforcement agencies reportedly began nationwide raids to identify and confiscate Starlink satellite internet equipment. Officers searched homes, offices, commercial buildings, and rooftops where satellite terminals are typically installed. Although Starlink is not officially authorized in Turkmenistan, many residents reportedly turned to the service because of slow internet speeds and restrictions imposed by the country’s state-controlled providers. Users told local media that demand for satellite internet increased after network quality deteriorated in February. Authorities have targeted mobile services from Uzbekistan before. In July 2024, Podrobno.uz reported similar raids in northern and eastern Turkmenistan. The report said Uzbek SIM cards had become highly sought after because they allowed users to bypass internet restrictions imposed by Turkmenistan’s only licensed mobile operator, Altyn Asyr, and to access blocked news websites and opposition platforms. According to that report, Uzbek SIM cards were brought into Turkmenistan by travelers crossing the border and later sold through informal dealers. A single Uzbek mobile number reportedly cost local buyers around $450. A source quoted by Podrobno.uz said Turkmen authorities were particularly concerned that citizens were using Uzbek numbers to communicate with foreign organizations and access independent media. The source claimed the Ministry of National Security had been instructed to examine electronic devices and investigate whether users had contacted foreign organizations....