The Small Country of Turkmenistan

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“Since the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991, Turkmenistan has been one of the most isolated countries in the world”(Crabtree). The country of Turkmenistan is located on the Caspian Sea and its neighboring countries are Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. In 1924 Turkmenistan became a part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (History. . .). According to Ingwerson Turkmenistan is home to the third largest gas reserves and according to Rashid the gas flows through Russia were it is divided and sold to other countries. Due to how Turkmenistan was a Russian satellite state Russia still has some control over Turkmenistan’s gas trade. The government is looking for ways to open trades with other countries with their gas in hope to bring money into the country. Turkmenistan, before it gained its independence, was one of the Soviet Unions satellite states during the 1900’s. President Saparmurad Niyazov after he was elected President, he proclaimed that he was the Turkmenbashi (Leader of all Turkmen) and had the old names for cities, airports, months, streets, buildings removed and replaced with the names of members of his family. He also had this book Ruhnama (“Book of the Spirit”) a reading requirement in all Turkmenistan schools and universities (Crabtree), (Nissman). By doing this he started a personality cult that he used to gain more power over the people of country. “The president, who serves as prime minister as well, is technically limited to a five-year term, but former Communist leader Saparmurat Niyazov, who had been president since 1990, had his term extended in 1997 and then was proclaimed president for life on December 28, 1999” (Nissman). After President Niyazov died December 21, 2006, the deputy prime minister and a relative to Niyazov, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov became president. Even through President Gurbanguly is trying to make Turkmenistan a better country than what it was during Niyazov presidency, the government is still facing problems that they refuse to take steps to end the problems. While gaining its independence and looking to line its pockets with revenues from their natural gas, Turkmenistan has a long road to go with its own inner problems, particularly when dealing with torture, women, and civil liberties.
Torture is one of many human rights violations that occurs in Turkmenistan. “While the constitution and law prohibit such practices, security officials tortured and beat criminal suspects, prisoners, and individuals deemed critical of the government to extract confessions and as a form of punishment” (2012.

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