Day 21
Turkmenistan
Since Serdar Berdimuhamedov became president in March, there have been no changes to political freedoms and human rights. If anything, the situation has worsened for women and access to the internet made even harder. He did, however, sack his aunt who was running the Turkmenistan chapter of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent saying she was exploiting state benefits given to the charity. This has been interpreted as a positive sign that he is not entirely the same as his father, the previous president. Pray that God would do a new work in this man’s life, and create a genuine new beginning for the nation under his leadership (The Bible, Psalm 51:10).
Source: Turkmenistan Under Serdar: Has Anything Changed? (The Diplomat)
Although a country with mighty oil and gas reserves, the past two years its struggling economy has resulted in widespread food shortages. Turkmenistan makes its name as one of the most isolated and consolidated authoritarian regimes in the world. It lacks basic freedoms, judicial independence, and accountable institutions, and it discriminates against ethnic minorities. Turkmenistan’s dictator seeks to control every aspect of life. The government justifies its tough methods by a need to prevent an escalation of radical Islam. Though Turkmenistan has a persecution ranking of only 19, the country is still one of the world’s most oppressive.
