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| Turkmenistan leader dies aged 66 | Turkmenistan leader dies aged 66 |
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| Turkmenistan's authoritarian president Saparmurat Niyazov, who ruled the Central Asian country for 21 years, has died aged 66, state TV has reported. | |
| He died at about 0110 local time (2010 GMT Wednesday) of a sudden cardiac arrest, it was announced. | He died at about 0110 local time (2010 GMT Wednesday) of a sudden cardiac arrest, it was announced. |
| Mr Niyazov became Communist Party chief of what was then a Soviet republic in 1985 and was elected first president of independent Turkmenistan in 1991. | Mr Niyazov became Communist Party chief of what was then a Soviet republic in 1985 and was elected first president of independent Turkmenistan in 1991. |
| In 1999 he was made president-for-life by the country's legislative body. | |
| Last month, the president publicly acknowledged he had heart disease. | Last month, the president publicly acknowledged he had heart disease. |
| Analysts say Mr Niyazov's legacy is grim: education, healthcare, society generally have crumbled under his leadership. | |
| Cult of personality | Cult of personality |
| During his reign, Mr Niyazov established a cult of personality in which he was styled as Turkmenbashi, or Leader of all Turkmens. | During his reign, Mr Niyazov established a cult of personality in which he was styled as Turkmenbashi, or Leader of all Turkmens. |
| SAPARMURAT NIYAZOV Became head of Communist Party in Turkmenistan in 1985Stayed leader after independence, later becoming president for lifeStyled himself Turkmenbashi, Father of the TurkmenBuilt up a cult of personality, with cities, airports and even calendar months named after himIntroduced bizarre laws, such as banning young men from wearing beards and from listening to car radiosAllowed no dissent, and poverty was rife in the energy-rich countryNiyazov publicly acknowledged taking medicine for a heart condition | |
| He renamed months and days in the calendar after himself and his family, and ordered statues of himself to be erected throughout the desert nation. | He renamed months and days in the calendar after himself and his family, and ordered statues of himself to be erected throughout the desert nation. |
| Cities, an airport and a meteorite were given his name. | Cities, an airport and a meteorite were given his name. |
| Mr Niyazov was intolerant of criticism and allowed no political opposition or free media in the nation of five million people. | Mr Niyazov was intolerant of criticism and allowed no political opposition or free media in the nation of five million people. |
| His laws became increasingly personal. It was forbidden to listen to car radios or smoke in public, or for young men to wear beards. | His laws became increasingly personal. It was forbidden to listen to car radios or smoke in public, or for young men to wear beards. |
| An alleged assassination attempt in 2002 was used to crush his few remaining opponents. | An alleged assassination attempt in 2002 was used to crush his few remaining opponents. |
| All candidates in the December 2004 parliamentary elections, at which there were no foreign observers, were his supporters. | All candidates in the December 2004 parliamentary elections, at which there were no foreign observers, were his supporters. |
| Analysts say Turkmenistan, a mostly Muslim nation with large oil and gas resources, faces an uncertain future after Mr Niyazov's death, as there are no clear successors. | Analysts say Turkmenistan, a mostly Muslim nation with large oil and gas resources, faces an uncertain future after Mr Niyazov's death, as there are no clear successors. |
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