 "I don't know why [the detainees] are engaged in such dirty business in Turkmenistan, a peaceful country where justice is ruling and where nobody is disgraced... Let people condemn the traitors.The entire population is proud of their motherland, whereas they are trying to harm it" Niyazov said.On August 25, 2006 the three activists were sentenced to between six and seven years in jail on charges of illegal possession of weapons.