Stories about Turkmen
Why has Turkmenistan’s succession plan gone sideways?
Turkmenistan’s succession is under close inspection by its neighboring countries, where political regimes have struggled with power transition.
Turkmenistan unveils its first ‘smart’ city, named after the former president
Arkadag’s future remains unclear given the government’s authoritarian and bizarre rules for its potential residents.
Central Asian leaders sigh with relief as Erdoğan wins presidential elections in Turkey
After a cooling off in the relations in the 1990s and early 2000s, the blossoming of cooperation between Turkey and Central Asia has come under Erdoğan’s rule.
New study finds internet censorship in Turkmenistan reaches over 122,000 domains
"One of the worst blocking rules in Turkmenistan is that the government blocks every website that ends with w.org, which is Wordpress, used by activists and bloggers."
Global Voices seeks an editor to lead our Greater Central Asia coverage
Are you a writer and editor with a deep understanding of and curiosity about all facets of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan? Are you excited about shaping ideas into stories, social media posts, and other editorial outputs in collaboration with a diverse community? If you answered “yes”...
Turkmen students: Escaping from war-torn Ukraine
During the first few days of Russia’s war on Ukraine, the Turkmen embassy was largely unhelpful when it came to evacuating students and citizens.
“Be quiet, woman! Your day is on March 8”: How is International Women’s Day celebrated in Turkmenistan?
The mainstream rhetoric that the Soviets created gender equality and civilized "savage" Central Asia is nothing but a hegemonic imperial view wrapped in racism.
Global Voices seeks an editor to lead our Greater Central Asia coverage
Global Voices is seeking a Greater Central Asia editor with strong English-language editing skills and in-depth knowledge of the region. Knowledge of local languages and Russian would be an asset.
A memoir of escaping Turkmenistan in search of education
Turkmen girls who overcome family pressure to prioritize family over education have to face pressure from the state if they want to study abroad.
No Smoking Please, We're Turkmen
"Bans, bans, and bans. People cannot do anything on their own these days."
Google's Optical Character Recognition Software Now Works with All South Asian Languages
Google's OCR software supports more than 248 world languages, including all the major South Asian languages, bringing together hope for the large-scale digitization of old texts.
Were Turkmen Dissidents Wrong to Publish a Video of Schoolgirls ‘Turning Up the Love’ on Their YouTube Channel?
In deeply traditional, highly repressive Turkmenistan, schoolgirls dancing along to Western songs is akin to a crime against the state.
Turkmenistan's Islam: Between Religion and State
Will the Turkmen government's attempts to nationalise Islam and shut its citizens off from the wider world backfire?
No More Free Petrol in Turkmenistan
There aren't many benefits to living in an energy-rich dictatorship like Turkmenistan, but free energy rationing happens to be one of them. Yet President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, or Arkadag (The Protector), has tweaked the Turkmen social contract by ordering the abolishment of free monthly petrol handouts to private car and motorcycle owners starting...
Did Turkmenistan Get Cold Feet Before the Sochi Winter Olympics?
Warm-wintered Turkmenistan failed to send a singe athlete to this year's Winter Olympics. The only representative the republic sent to Sochi was its sport-loving president.
Turkmenistan's National Cycling Day: Traditionalists, Penny-Pinchers and President-Pleasers
If you are a citizen of Turkmenistan, you had better be ready to don the Lycra and mount a bicycle: September 1 has been slated as National Cycling Day.
Turkmenistan's “Book of the Soul” Facing Difficult Times
Turkmenistan's first president once suggested reading his "Book of the Soul" three times could guarantee a person's place in heaven. Now the book's place in public life is under siege.
Turkmenistan's Internet Blues
Cyber-optimism is is in short supply in repressive Turkmenistan, and it is not difficult to see why.
Turkmens Appalled, J Lo Performs for Their President's Grand Birthday
Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov got a fine 56th birthday present at the end of last month in the form of a concert starring Jennifer Lopez held at Turkmenistan's $2 billion state palace. But many ordinary Turkmens registered disgust at the display of opulence in a country where the average salary hovers around $200 per month.
VIDEO: Turkmenistan's Pop Music Makes Love, Not Politics
In Turkmenistan, pop musicians tread a difficult path between carving out a distinctive image for themselves and ensuring they don't fall foul of the state.
Turkmenistan at Twenty-One: Double Holiday and Thaw with Russia
As Turkmenistan marks the 21st anniversary of its independence today, the celebrations coincide with a major Islamic holiday. Also, Turkmenistan's Independence Day this year comes at a time of an apparent improvement in the country's relations with Russia.
