Constitution of Turkmenistan

The Constitution of Turkmenistan was first adopted on 18 May 1992, establishing the country as a secular democracy and presidential republic with emphasis on self-determination, the rule of law and citizens' rights. A 2008 amendment abolished the 2,500-member People's Council and expanded the national assembly from 65 to 125 members, and an entirely new constitution was adopted on 14 September 2016. Capital punishment, initially permitted under the 1992 text, was abolished by presidential decree in 1999 and later written into the constitution itself as forbidden. The document also addresses individual dignity, property rights, religious freedom and the separation of powers, including judicial independence.