Authorities in Turkmenistan have warned civil servants that they could face dismissal for misusing state newspapers featuring images of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and his father, former President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Officials have been explicitly banned from using these newspapers as toilet paper, food packaging, or firewood.
Government employees are now required to sign pledges to “carefully keep the pages” containing photographs of the ruling family. According to civil servants, they have been instructed to ensure that images of the Berdimuhamedovs do not end up in the trash or repurposed for household use.
Authorities are reportedly even considering introducing QR codes on each page of newspapers to track subscribers and monitor how printed materials are used.
“Now we are afraid that children might accidentally tear or throw away a newspaper with the president’s image – because you can lose your job for that,” said one civil servant, who spoke anonymously for fear of reprisals.
Human rights organizations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), consistently rank Turkmenistan among the world’s worst countries for press freedom. Since Serdar Berdimuhamedov succeeded his father as president in 2022, the country’s media environment has remained tightly controlled. Despite officially stepping down, Berdimuhamedov Sr. continues to wield significant influence over decision-making in the government.