OREANDA-NEWS. March 03, 2010. President of Turkmenistan, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan, General of the Army Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov chaired a meeting of the National Security Council to discuss the important issues of the activity of the law enforcement agencies in compliance with the key priorities of the policy of the Turkmen state aimed at further democratization of the Turkmen society.

Opening the meeting, to which the Speaker of the Mejlis had been invited, the Turkmen leader said that having taken the road of fundamental changes Turkmenistan consistently implemented the grandiose reforms in all fields including the social and economic sphere, education, health care, culture. The reforms aimed at improving the quality of life of the Turkmen people had been launched throughout the country including rural areas. That was the focus of the recent meeting of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with Turkmen workers of culture and art that had resulted in taking the concrete decisions to promote culture and art in rural areas.

For their scale and significance the reforms had been launched in such a critical field as enforcement of law. Focusing on it at the current meeting the Turkmen leader set the new tasks to improve the activities of the law enforcement agencies which played a critical role in the life of any state and society. In this regard the President underscored the urgent need to modernize the legislation regulating law enforcement activity in compliance with international human rights norms.

In particular the Turkmen leader said that at a new stage the reforms required further liberalization of criminal procedure laws, wider public monitoring of the imprisonment conditions in jails and colonies, reduction of the term of maximum punishment for severe offences from 25 to 15 years, introduction of monetary penalties as a form of punishment, enhancement of the role and significance of advocateship in legal investigations, education of convicted persons through work, development of manufacture of various goods in the colonies.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov gave the relevant instructions to the Mejlis and the Ministry of Justice to draft the Criminal Code and the Corrective Labour Code which would give the amnesty commission the right to exclude drug dealers from the amnesty list and stipulate for other measures to improve imprisonment conditions.

The leader of the Turkmen state noted that while drafting these laws special attention should be paid to the role of training of convicted persons, education through work and social education in particular.

Focusing on the importance of the educational aspect the Turkmen leader said that the Turkmen people had never used imprisonment as a form of punishment. For those who had committed a crime the worst punishment was people’s contempt and eviction to the outskirts of a village. Today, the society should not stand back of the educational process and contribute to the efforts to return convicted persons to a normal life, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized. Furthermore, the Government provided all necessary conditions in the epoch of new Revival including improvement of the social and living conditions of the population, creation of new jobs and construction of cultural and sports facilities throughout the country.

Underscoring the need to incorporate international law norms in this field in the national legislation, the Turkmen leader said that having acceded to the fundamental UN conventions including the UN Convention of the Human Rights Turkmenistan had abolished capital punishment. The President instructed the Ministry of Internal Affairs to draft and submit the proposals to bring penitentiary laws in compliance with international standards to the Government for consideration.

Then the President gave the floor to the high-ranking military and law enforcement officials who reported on the ongoing situation in the agencies under their supervision and the fulfillment of the Turkmen leader’s instructions and the progress in implementing the military reform initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. In particular, the high-ranking officials reported on the progress on construction of the military complexes and frontier posts, training highly qualified personnel, the measures taken to ensure maintenance and operation of special equipment in a proper manner.

Commenting on the reports Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that Turkmenistan as a sovereign state would further raise the defence capacity of the national army and keep these issues under strict control. The measures would be further taken to improve the activities and equip the law enforcement agencies, which must stand guard vigilantly over law and order in the country, with advanced technologies. The Turkmen leader emphasized that the Government would take the measures to improve the conditions of life and service of military servants and their families.

Setting the priority tasks to the high-ranking law enforcement officials, the President underscored the importance of training highly qualified personnel and demanded that military and law enforcement officers must maintain rigorous discipline.

The Turkmen leader emphasized that the ongoing strategy for modernization of the armed forces had the extremely peace-loving nature and purported to raise the defence capacity of the country that stood steadfast to the policy of positive neutrality, constructive endeavours, good neighbourliness and constructive cooperation. Steadily and consistently pursuing this political strategy Turkmenistan placed its peacemaking potential at the service of the interests of regional and global security. The President said that the law enforcement agencies, which were to provide the conditions conducive to a happy life and fruitful labour of the Turkmen people, sustainable development and progress of the country, contribute to cementing the unity and solidarity of the Turkmen society, must follow that purport.

During the meeting the President signed the documents on the appointment of the high-ranking officials.

In conclusion the Turkmen leader wished the participants every success in fulfilling the designated important tasks and expressed belief that defenders of the Motherland and law enforcement officers would further perform their professional and civic duty in a worthy manner and serve faithfully the Motherland and people.