Turkmenistan’s all-powerful leader quells death rumours with return to TV
- Rumour of death appeared to begin with a small foreign-based media outlet run by regime’s opponents
Turkmenistan’s all-powerful leader returned to state television on Wednesday, dispelling an online rumour that he had died.
Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, 62, was shown on television instructing the mayor of the country’s capital Ashgabat on forthcoming municipal projects in his usual domineering style, indicating drawings of bus shelters with a pointer.
Berdymukhamedov is a mainstay of state television in a gas-rich Central Asian state which has no free media and few sources of information that are not controlled by the government that he dominates.
This was his first appearance on TV since July 15 when he had been shown writing a book, playing with cats and reviewing footage of himself and his grandson performing a song together.
Prior to that, his most recent appearance on state television had been on July 5 when he oversaw a session of government.
The rumour that Berdymukhamedov had died appeared to begin with a small foreign-based media outlet run by Turkmen regime opponents.