This country claims it hasn’t had a single Covid-19 case. Activists say that’s a lie

Or at least, that’s what the central Asian country’s secretive, authoritarian government claims. Turkmenistan, a former Soviet republic home to A According to Serebryannik, the official cause of death in these cases is not listed as Covid-19 or even pneumonia — instead medical certificates record a separate condition, such as a heart attack, she said. When health workers have tried to speak up about the reality on the ground, they have been pressured into silence, according to non-profit Human Rights Watch. Inside the country, freedom of the press and independent scrutiny is not allowed — Turkmenistan was ranked 178 out of 180 countries and territories on Reporters Without Borders 2021 World Press Freedom Index, just above North Korea and Eritrea.Turkmen citizens who peacefully criticize the government have faced severe punishments, according to Human Rights Watch, including reports of torture and disappearances.Foreign residents have also been affected by the Turkmenistan government’s coronavirus denials. In July 2020, Turkish diplomat Kemal Uchkun was admitted to hospital in Ashgabat with Covid-like symptoms but was refused permission to evacuate to his home country, according to the journal of Asian Affairs. According to the BBC, X-rays sent to Turkish hospitals by Uchkun’s wife were confirmed to show evidence of Covid-19.The journal of Asian Affairs said Uchkun died on July 7. His official cause of death was heart failure. Most recently, Myatiev said he had confirmed the death of a 61-year-old Russian language and literature teacher, who had been in hospital since August, according to Turkmen News.Undermining the rosy pictureMultiple authoritarian governments around the world have announced their Covid-19 outbreaks and received international assistance, including China, the earliest country affected.So why is Turkmenistan so insistent that it has still not seen a single case?Both Myatiev and Serebryannik said it was down to President Berdymukhamedov who, as a dentist by profession and former health minister, had placed great emphasis on effectively governing the well-being of his people — at least in principle.Serebryannik said Berdymukhamedov, 64, wanted to appear like a savior to the country, and an impressive world leader, by keeping Covid-19 out.”Turkmenistan is a country where everything in the garden looks rosy … you have those marble, state of the art (health facilities) equipped with German, French, Japanese, whatever, equipment,” journalist Myatiev said.Admitting the presence of a deadly virus would undermine the idealized image the President has created and leave Berdymukhamedov open to criticism — and potentially to being held to account. “It would be someone’s failure, someone would have to bear responsibility for that and who has the ultimate word for that? The President,” Myatiev said.There has been no indication yet that Turkmenistan is preparing to reverse its position and admit to having Covid-19 cases inside the country, but Serebryannik said she believed the government would have to eventually.She said there had just been “too much death.”Human Rights Watch’s Denber said international organizations interacting with Turkmenistan, including WHO, had a duty to be honest with the world about the situation inside the country.”At a certain point you have to say at what cost are you protecting that presence (in the country)? Are the measures you’re taking to protect your relationship … undermining your core mission?” she said.Denber said in a global pandemic, with many outbreaks linked across international borders, nations had an obligation to provide accurate testing and correct public information.”We’re all interconnected,” she said. “When one of us fails, we all fail.”