Both men are, reportedly, gravely ill. Their home since August 2006 was the Turkmenbashi prison — named after previous President Sapamurat Niyazov — in a western desert region. Temperatures plummet during the winter and soar during the summer. Conditions are cramped and dirty.

Mr Amanklychev and Mr Khadjiyev’s crime was to apparently hold illegal firearms and ammunition. It was an offence they were arrested for immediately after helping a French TV company produce a documentary about Turkmenistan in 2006.

Their case highlights the dubious record on freedom of speech in Turkmenistan and, indeed, across much of Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Reporters Without Borders, the Paris-based NGO that reported their release, continually rates Turkmenistan at the bottom of their freedom of speech ratings, alongside North Korea.

In Turkmenistan, reporting issues the government doesn’t want made public is dangerous work.

At least Mr Amanklychev and Mr Khadjiyev are alive, if only just. A third journalist, Ogulsapar Muradova, arrested with them didn’t make it. He died in 2006 in pre-trial detention.

Both men are, reportedly, gravely ill. Their home since August 2006 was the Turkmenbashi prison — named after previous President Sapamurat Niyazov — in a western desert region. Temperatures plummet during the winter and soar during the summer. Conditions are cramped and dirty.

Mr Amanklychev and Mr Khadjiyev’s crime was to apparently hold illegal firearms and ammunition. It was an offence they were arrested for immediately after helping a French TV company produce a documentary about Turkmenistan in 2006.

Their case highlights the dubious record on freedom of speech in Turkmenistan and, indeed, across much of Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Reporters Without Borders, the Paris-based NGO that reported their release, continually rates Turkmenistan at the bottom of their freedom of speech ratings, alongside North Korea.

In Turkmenistan, reporting issues the government doesn’t want made public is dangerous work.

At least Mr Amanklychev and Mr Khadjiyev are alive, if only just. A third journalist, Ogulsapar Muradova, arrested with them didn’t make it. He died in 2006 in pre-trial detention.

ENDS