I have mentioned the eccentricities of law enforcement in Turkmenistan in an earlier post .... men should have no beards, and suggested clothing for women etc ....
.... But it appears that I have barely touched upon the fun and games in that land, with presidential diktats setting the scene.
Its recently been reported that the police in the capital Ashgabat are unofficially are stopping women from driving now. It seems that after a report that women drivers caused the most accidents, the President Mr Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov instructed a flunky to 'get it sorted', so women (including female police officers) are being driven off the main thoroughfares, where President Berdimuhamedov habitually drives.
They already ban black-cars down to another presidential caprice. "The president has shown a preference for the colour white for many years," due to the Presidents alleged "superstitious belief that white brings luck". So black cars are stopped at customs and often refused entry.
This superstition about white means that the government has also been spending billions of dollars remodelling the capital into a "white city", by covering all the major buildings with marble. These included a giant “Palace of Happiness” for wedding ceremonies, and a 185-metre-high monument to the Constitution which has been heralded as the local answer to the Eiffel Tower.
The local authorities have also demanded that resident remove the air-conditioning units on the exterior walls of their flats to improve the city's appearance ... they don't want it spoiling the marble city. A Western diplomatic source said anonymously, “Not all former Soviet republics are as lucky, but the ones that God gave oil and gas [Allah gave them Gas], are now rich and are spending huge money on development and construction.”
This isn't the first assault on women's rights. Back in 2013, it was claimed that women in the capital of Turkmenistan risked being picked up by the police, simply for being out for the evening. Police Officers in black suits would burst into cafes, restaurants or discos, apprehended any women there and took them to police stations to be tested for drug-use and sexually-transmitted infections.
It was claimed to be part of a police anti-prostitution drive .... however as the women being picked up, were often not only with their spouses, but also their parents on family celebrations, it appears to simply be an attempt to stop women going out. The police described it, as being part of "efforts to foster high morals in the epoch of power and happiness" ..... only in the Muslim world.
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| President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow Isn't Shy ....... |
.... But it appears that I have barely touched upon the fun and games in that land, with presidential diktats setting the scene.
Its recently been reported that the police in the capital Ashgabat are unofficially are stopping women from driving now. It seems that after a report that women drivers caused the most accidents, the President Mr Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov instructed a flunky to 'get it sorted', so women (including female police officers) are being driven off the main thoroughfares, where President Berdimuhamedov habitually drives.
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| Lucky Colour White ... Lucky If Your President ... |
They already ban black-cars down to another presidential caprice. "The president has shown a preference for the colour white for many years," due to the Presidents alleged "superstitious belief that white brings luck". So black cars are stopped at customs and often refused entry.
This superstition about white means that the government has also been spending billions of dollars remodelling the capital into a "white city", by covering all the major buildings with marble. These included a giant “Palace of Happiness” for wedding ceremonies, and a 185-metre-high monument to the Constitution which has been heralded as the local answer to the Eiffel Tower.
The local authorities have also demanded that resident remove the air-conditioning units on the exterior walls of their flats to improve the city's appearance ... they don't want it spoiling the marble city. A Western diplomatic source said anonymously, “Not all former Soviet republics are as lucky, but the ones that God gave oil and gas [Allah gave them Gas], are now rich and are spending huge money on development and construction.”
This isn't the first assault on women's rights. Back in 2013, it was claimed that women in the capital of Turkmenistan risked being picked up by the police, simply for being out for the evening. Police Officers in black suits would burst into cafes, restaurants or discos, apprehended any women there and took them to police stations to be tested for drug-use and sexually-transmitted infections.
It was claimed to be part of a police anti-prostitution drive .... however as the women being picked up, were often not only with their spouses, but also their parents on family celebrations, it appears to simply be an attempt to stop women going out. The police described it, as being part of "efforts to foster high morals in the epoch of power and happiness" ..... only in the Muslim world.
What's interesting is how they have to beat about the bush to have their misogyny, that's progress.
ReplyDeleteCant argue with that thought mate. Thanks for the comments.
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