In Turkmenistan, Non-Turkmen Public Servants Pressured to “Turkmenize” Their Names

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.

Uzbekistan Allows Name Changes Following Official Gender Correction

Uzbekistan has updated its civil status regulations to allow individuals who have officially changed their gender to also change their first name, last name, and patronymic. The change follows a June 12 Cabinet of Ministers decision that amends the country’s procedures for registering personal status documents. According to the Ministry of Justice, the update is part of broader efforts to streamline legal documentation related to marriage, family, and civil status. Under the new rules, citizens aged 18 and older, who do not have minor children, may apply to change their names via the Unified Interactive Services Portal. The ministry clarified that the changes have been misinterpreted online as introducing broad legal provisions for gender transition. In fact, officials stressed, the amendment only affects the process of updating civil records after a gender change has already been made and recognized through medical documentation. Previously, individuals who had changed their gender could correct key documents such as birth, death, and marriage certificates. However, name changes were restricted and typically permitted only under cultural or national naming exceptions. Under the new rules, a recognized gender transition now constitutes sufficient legal grounds for a name change, provided that a medical statement confirming the change is submitted. The Justice Ministry also noted that each year, approximately five to six children in Uzbekistan are born with indeterminate gender characteristics. In many such cases, gender is assigned based on early medical assessments, though the child's actual gender identity may only become clear years later, sometimes not until adolescence. Officials cited one example involving a child born in 2008 who was initially registered as male. At age 16, medical evaluation confirmed the child was female. While her gender record was corrected in civil documents, existing laws at the time did not allow her to change her name and patronymic accordingly. To address such legal gaps, the government passed Decision No. 362. It ensures that once a medical institution verifies a gender correction, the individual may also update their full name to reflect their gender identity. The regulation is intended to improve consistency across civil documents and prevent identity mismatches for individuals who have undergone gender transition.