On New Year’s Eve the Ashgabat police ensured order.
In the district of Choganly a young man and a woman dressed as Ayaz-baba and Akpamyk (Turkmen Father Frost and Snow Maiden) together with their accompanying photographer were detained and taken to the police station.
They had been making photos with children and adults who reside in the district.However, they were accused of violating public order.
In the residential district of Parakhat-7 law enforcement officers dispersed residents who had decorated a Christmas tree in their backyard with neighbours and celebrated New Year’s Eve together.
There were no alcoholic beverages.Yet, because some children had pulled home-made firecrackers, which was videotaped on the CCTV cameras, and they were taken to the police station.
The police told the others to go home and said that New Year’s Eve should be celebrated at home like “our esteemed President does”.
Firecrackers and fireworks are banned from being imported to Turkmenistan. In the run-up to the New Year’s holidays firecrackers are home-made and sold illegally.
On 1 January, 2022 the official Turkmen print media published a report “The President celebrates the festive New Year’ Eve with his family”.The post Father Frost and Snow Maiden arrested in Ashgabat first appeared on Chronicles of Turkmenistan.