Muradova Dies

Ogulsapar Muradova has died in prison in Turkmenistan:

"International rights organizations have expressed outrage at news that RFE/RL's Turkmen Service correspondent Ogulsapar Muradova died in custody.

"They blame Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov's government for what they say appears to be an extrajudiciary execution and call upon the international community to press Ashgabat to shed light on the journalist's death.

"Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said it was 'shocked' by reports of Muradova's death.

"In a statement issued on September 14, the group urged the international community -- 'especially the European countries, the United States, and Russia' -- to demand that Turkmen authorities explain the circumstances of Muradova's death.

"The same day, RSF organized a protest rally outside the Turkmen Embassy in Paris. Some 30 group members and journalists briefly entered the embassy, demanding to see the ambassador. French police removed them without violence; it was unclear whether the Turkmen envoy met with any of the protesters."