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Since the independence in 1991 Saparmurad Niazov, otherwise known as Turkmenbashi or Leader of the Turkmen, leads the ex-soviet republic of Turkmenistan. Inside the country checkpoint are everywhere on the roads. In town, policemen or soldiers standing at every corner. Internet accesses are rare and closely monitored. Opponents and human right militants are systematically arrested as their family. Free media doesn’t exist any more and the educative system has been changed to promote the thought of the president.
As Saparmurad Niazov and his close entourage are sharing millions of dollars from the export of oil and gas, 60% of the Turkmen population is jobless and 58% is living below the poverty level. US-funded survey of one region found that the child mortality rate was on a par with some of the poorest parts of Africa. Turkmenistan is at the 165 ranks on 167 countries according to the RSF report about press freedom in the world. Over the last ten year, Niazov attempt to hermetically seal the country from outside influences and promote Turkmen language and customs together with his own personality cult. Getting a visa for Turkmenistan become difficult for foreigner and impossible for journalist. Arguing that we wanted to travel from Iran to Uzbekistan, we obtained transit visa to cross the Turkmenistan. Thus, we travel without any official guide witches are compulsory for tourist. We spent ten days, visiting the gold and marble clad district of the capital Ashgabat as the poor and deteriorated rest of the country.
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