32. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for political parties?

X. CAMPAIGN FINANCE

While the Election Code provides that all expenses related to the preparation and conduct of elections is covered by the state, there are limited provisions regulating campaign finance. 

(OSCE/ODIHR Election Assessment Mission Final Report, Parliamentary Elections, 15 December 2013, Turkmenistan, available at http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/116011?download=true accessed January 2018).

SECTION XVI. FINANCING OF ELECTIONS, REFERENDUMS

Article 88. Financing of elections, referenda

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3. The following expenditures are financed from the state budget of Turkmenistan and the budget of the Gengesh:

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6) provision of free airtime, free print space to candidates, initiative groups of the referendum;

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(Law of Turkmenistan on Political Parties, 2012 available at http://asgabat.net/stati/zakonodatelstvo-turkmenistana/zakon-turkmenistana-o-politicheskih-partijah.html  accessed January 2018).

Article 64. Conduct of Election Campaigning on TV and Radio

1. Candidates, initiative groups of referendum shall have the right to free broadcasting time on state TV and radio channels. The indicated broadcasting time shall be from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. except for the time assigned for official information programmes.

2. The total volume of free broadcasting time shall be no less than one hour. The specified free broadcasting time shall be distributed among candidates on an equal basis. Candidates may not use free broadcasting time to campaign for other candidates.

3. No less than one third of the total volume of free broadcasting time shall be allocated for candidates to conduct joint discussions, “round table” meetings and other similar campaigning events. In joint campaigning events on TV or radio channels, candidates may participate only personally. A refusal to participate in a joint campaigning event shall not entail additional free broadcasting time for the candidate who refused to participate in such an event. If a candidate could not participate in a joint campaigning event due to valid reasons, he/she along with other candidates who did not participate in a joint campaigning event may use the broadcasting time they are entitled to.

(Electoral Code of Turkmenistan, 2013, available at http://www.legislationline.org/download/action/download/id/5097/file/Turkmenistan_law_approval_Electoral%20Code_2013_en.pdf  accessed January 2018).