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Turkmenistan’s Record-Setting Repression

Reason‘s December Special IssueThis year marks the 30th anniversary the fall of the Soviet Union. This is part of an ongoing investigation into the legacy of that evil empire worldwide. We want to make sure that there are no further tragedies. Not forgetting the terrible effects of communism is not easy.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov of Turkmen is many: an equestrian, pop singer, Guinness World Records collector, markman, lifter and poet; a racecar driver and a brutal authoritarian.

It is also the most crucial. However, it’s also the most crucial. Berdimuhamedov’s Turkmenistan dictatorship is among the most secretive.

Berdimuhamedov isn’t so shy himself. He balances his tough governance with extravagant public displays. In one popular video clip, he “plays” a white guitar clad in a pastel green sweater—though the fog creeping up from below, obscuring his hands, casts doubt on his musical chops. It doesn’t matter to the crowd. Berdimuhamedov fires at targets in another video while ministers look on. One video features Berdimuhamedov raising a thin gold rod over his head. The weight of the rod is about equal to a fishing pole. He makes his own donuts and writes poetry from his car.

Berdimuhamedov used these spectacles to create a strange cult of personality. His quest for Guinness World Records is at the core of his image. He was elected to Turkmenistan’s highest office in 2007. Since then, the country has won many superlatives including the “largest single-line bike parade,” the “largest star-shaped roof” and the “largest species of gerbil.”

You might forget that the country is also a lighthearted, fun place. It was ranked as the least oppressive former Soviet republics with a score of 2 on Freedom House’s Index. Turkmenistan has no internationally recognized human rights. The economy is dominated by dysfunctional state-run monopolies. This country also suffers from insufficient access of food, water and natural gas.

The country’s life outside is much more mysterious than the inside. Living there the exterior world is even more mysterious. Internet access is forbidden, international travel is restricted and there’s no free press.

Turkmens should believe Berdimuhamedov. Arkadag (“protector”). This might prove more difficult if the country’s economic collapse continues. Berdimuhamedov is an example of the way such cults were created.