On 17 September the Asian Games kicked off in Ashgabat with journalists from various countries covering the Games.
Radio “Azatlyk” reports that foreign journalists are under constant surveillance.
One of them told Radio “Azatlyk” that the majority of colleagues are prevented from making video and photo footage of the contests which is explained by the fact they do not have a film permit.
The reporter also said that two “guides” who do not conceal that they have to report to their supervisors from Turkmenistan’s National Security Ministry three times a day, are allocated to each journalist.
“I have two guides who follow me round-the-clock.This was one of the conditions of my stay in the country. “The guides” told me that they are following instructions.
They even do not conceal that they have to report to their supervisors three times a day.The “guides”, a female and a male, said that they are students of local universities.
They speak good English and interpret the information I need.As far as I understand, two guides accompany us since it is less likely that they will reveal secrets to journalists or conceal something from the special services”, — the journalist said.
Moreover, staff of foreign media outlets are not allowed to go outside Ashgabat. There are a lot of police officers and cleaners on the territory of the sports facilities.
“We are shown only the places permitted by the authorities.We were amazed by the impeccably clean streets.There are a lot of female cleaners who are wearing national dress.
We are not allowed to start a conversation or take photos.The head of the Olympic Committee, Azat Muradov, often pays visits to us and boasts of foreign media outlets giving only positive coverage of the Games.
I was also amazed by the number of police officers as there is one officer every 20-30 meters”,— the journalist shares his impressions.
The journalist said that the majority of foreign media representatives who came to Turkmenistan, are interested in the everyday life of people in one of the most closed countries of the world, rather than in the Games.
“To be frank, I am not the only one who came here for reasons other than the Games.We were hoping to see real life Turkmenistan and to come in contact with the locals.
Yet, we were not given this opportunity as we are unable to go outside Ashgabat.Although I was hoping to make videos of the markets and other public places, we are taken only to the shopping centre “Berkarar”.
Despite this we do our best to find out more about your country”, — the journalist adds.
It should be mentioned that some media outlets had their accreditation to cover the Games revoked.For instance, The Guardian was initially given accreditation to cover the Games but 11 days before the opening ceremony it was revoked on the grounds of “the overwhelming response”.
Repeated requests to be reinstated went unanswered by the Games’ organisers while the intervention of the British embassy in Turkmenistan was unsuccessful.The Guardian is aware other international media outlets have had their accreditation revoked in similar circumstances.