Turkmen doctor missing after coming-out shows up at his house

AKIPRESS.COM - A 24-year old gay, who came out online in Turkmenistan and went missing after he was summoned to police on October 24, showed up at his house. Kasimberdi Garaev, cardiologist by profession, whose parents, brothers and sister went missing too, in the interview with the Turkmen service of RFE/RL on November 6 said he never contacted Radio Azatlyk and denied a videocall in the messenger.
He said all that had been reported about him before does not correspond to reality.
Last month Garaev told the Turkmen service of RFE/RL about lots of problems faced by him as a gay in the home country, where homosexuality is considered a crime.
On November 6 Garaev said the farewell video message sent to the editorial office of the Turkmen service of RFE/RL addressed to his family, in which has apologized for all the problems he could cause with his public confession of homosexuality was recorded for a different purpose in fact. The video was sent to the Azatlyk by mistake, he said.
Kasimberdi Garaev told about a difficult life of the gay in the conservative country on October 21 was summoned to police 3 days later. After that he and his family went missing.
Non-heterosexual sexual orientation is punished in Turkmenistan with up to 2 years in prison.
The Azatlyk contacted the clinic where Garaev worked, but was told there he does not work there anymore.