The families of Iranian prisoners in Turkmenistan gathered in protest in front of the Iranian parliament to demand the passing of extradition and transfer laws between Iran and Turkmenistan.
The parliamentary news website reports that while Turkmenistan has agreed to an exchange of prisoners, Iran has not passed a law to allow it.
Last February, an informed official from Incheh Borun who spoke to IRNA on the condition of anonymity, said about 200 Iranian nationals, mostly from Golestan Province, are jailed in Turkmenistan. Other sources say the number is higher than that.
Last winter, reports of Turkmen officials shooting at an Iranian fishing boat hit the news, and eyewitnesses reported that one of the fishermen was killed in the incident.
The Ana website reports that about four years ago, four Turkmen security officials were arrested by Iran, and diplomatic efforts to release them have been ineffective. Ana relates that since that incident, Turkmenistan has retaliated by arresting Iranian fishermen and drivers crossing the border.
Iran and Turkmenistan share a 1,000-kilometre border over land and water.
Iraq, Turkey, UAE, Turkmenistan and Malaysia have the highest number of Iranian prisoners outside of Iran.
