Chief Mufti Sudden Dismissed in Türkmenistan: State Control Over Religious Cadres

The sudden dismissal of Chief Mufti Yalkap Hojagulyyev, the country's highest-ranking religious official in Türkmenistan, has reignited long-standing debates about how the country manages its political and religious spheres. It is noted that no one in the country, except the chairman of the Halk Maslahaty (People's Council) and the president, has job security. Although no official justification has been given for the dismissal, it appears that such sudden changes have become common practice in Türkmenistan. All civil servants and officials, including religious leaders, can be dismissed without warning at any time. This situation reveals the extent of the country's authoritarian governance structure, encompassing religious institutions as well.

The incident occurred on 19 June following Friday prayers, which were also attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. After Friday prayers held at the Türkmenbaşı Ruhy Mosque in the village of Gypjak, approximately 11 kilometers from the capital Aşkabat, the spiritual board responsible for religious affairs and dignitaries from all over the country gathered. During the meeting, it was announced that Rahman Gurbanmyradov, who was leading prayers at a charity event organized by the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty in the Ahal region, Gurbanguli Berdimuhamedov, was appointed as the new chief mufti. Thus, Hojagulyyev's tenure, which he had held since 2019, came to an end. The meeting also discussed the proposal to name the newly built mosque in the newly constructed city of Arkadag near Aşkabat as "Arkadag Ruhi Mosque," and the proposal was accepted unanimously.

Although the exact reason for Hojagulyyev's dismissal is unknown, some speculations have emerged. It is claimed that the former mufti's performance of the Hajj pilgrimage with his wife at state expense in 2023 angered the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, Berdimuhamedov. Although such claims cannot be verified by independent sources, they are seen as an indication of how senior officials can be dismissed by personal decisions. Gurbanmyradov's previous service as chief mufti in the Ahal region proves his experience within the religious hierarchy. Such appointments generally aim to reinforce the strict control of the state administration over religious institutions.

It is known that Türkmenistan's first president, Saparmurat Niyazov (Türkmenbaşı), brought the entire state apparatus under control in the early years following independence in 1991. However, ensuring the full obedience of Islamic clergy took longer. In the late 1990s, prominent Islamic scholar Khoja Ahmed Orazgylych openly criticized Niyazov's support for dancing around a Christmas tree during New Year celebrations. Following this incident, Orazgylych was dismissed, arrested, and imprisoned; despite being pardoned by the president in 2001, he was sent into internal exile. Furthermore, Niyazov described Orazgylych's translation of the Quran from Uzbek to Turkmen as "evil," ordering all copies to be collected and burned.

The authoritarian regime's pressure on religious institutions was not limited to the Niyazov era. In 2001, Niyazov accused the then chief mufti Nasrullah ibn Ibadullah of nepotism and ensured the immediate closure of the Faculty of Theology in Daşoğuz. The situation became even more tense when Ibadullah began to oppose Niyazov's cult of personality, particularly the order to display his book Ruhname in mosques and to quote from it in sermons. After the assassination attempt on Niyazov in November 2002, a raid by Türkmenistan security forces on the Uzbekistan Embassy increased regional tensions. Ibadullah, of Uzbek origin, was dismissed in January 2003, and in 2004, he was found guilty of treason for his alleged involvement in the assassination attempt in a closed trial and was sentenced to 22 years in prison.