In Turkmenistan, the word coronavirus is forbidden

Nina Startseva was imprisoned in his native Turkmenistan, but managed to escape and has lived in Stockholm for 12 years. From here, she reports on Turkmenistan for international media and can confirm the corona ban.

- Some rules have been introduced that everyone must follow. Anyone who wears a mouthguard is fined, because it is considered that the person who wears a mouthguard spreads panic in society. And the word coronavirus is forbidden, says Nina Startseva.

Former Soviet Republic of Turkmenistan is one of the world's most closed countries, in the same class as North Korea. It is rich, of oil and natural gas, but is ruled by iron hand by the dictator Gurbanguly Berdimuchamedov. There is no free media and no freedom of speech.

According to Nina Startseva, the security service is constantly present on the country's streets and now they are walking around listening to people so they do not talk about the virus. She talks on a daily basis with relatives in her home country. Even on the phone, people are afraid to talk about corona, she says.

International news sites and social media are blocked in Turkmenistan and since the state media does not report at all about the corona, the population knows almost nothing about the virus.

- They understand that something is going on, but they don't realize the seriousness. For example, there are no recommendations or instructions for seventy-plus people or people at risk, says Nina Startseva.

She shoots articles from international media and sends to her friends and relatives to get information about the virus's progress in the world.

Although there is no information, the government has imposed some restrictions. Flights to the capital Ashgababad from abroad are diverted to another city, where passengers are placed in prison-like quarantine. Women and children are placed in hospitals while men live in tents.

- It is cold and there are no bedding. They sleep on bunks in bunk beds with no distance to each other. Sick and healthy are divided into different tents, but the staff goes between them without protective equipment, says Nina, who has acquaintances who spent two weeks in quarantine and who sneakily fed and sent her the films.

- My acquaintances asked the staff what is the meaning of such a quarantine, but they replied that they only followed orders from above. They didn't seem to know that much themselves.

According to Nina, the political leadership is well aware of the risks of the pandemic, but since it is important for the country to appear perfect, both for its own population and for the rest of the world, nothing is reported negatively.

- It's the same with earthquakes and floods. You say nothing, simply.

But if people start dying then?

- Yes, then you do not say that it is of corona, but say that it is pneumonia. You will surely find a solution.