The situation worsened with the coming to power of Serdar Berdymuhamedov, who replaced his father Gurbanguly. The great influence of tribal rules imposed and interpreted by the president. “A woman should respect her husband with great deference.”
Moscow () – After the presidential change with the coming to power of Serdar, son of Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, in Turkmenistan there are increasing restrictions on women in public life, with an unusual escalation of “presidential misogyny”.
Women are prohibited from using cosmetics and undergoing cosmetic surgery. They also cannot get a manicure or dye their hair, wear tight clothes and jeans, drive cars and ride in the passenger seat. In Turkmenistan, abortions are prohibited. Women are often arrested, fined and even fired from their jobs if they do not abide by official regulations.
in the state magazine Neitralnyj Turkmenistan, an article appeared on traditional conversational etiquette, where the basic rule is that “a wife should respect her husband with great deference,” which seems almost like a court order, given the authority of the post. The article is part of a series of recommendations on national usages and customs and the country’s codes of conduct, taken from the widely circulated “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” publications.
The rules refer to the appropriate way to greet people and talk to adults. Furthermore, the article explains how a wife should address her husband: “Verbal etiquette in Turkmenistan requires a wife to maintain respectful deference to her husband. Therefore, women should mostly avoid calling their spouse by name and in conversations, they should almost always refer to him using the third person.
Men are reminded that “from ancient centuries” they have been educated “in sincerity, courage and responsibility.” And to express their feelings and emotions “it is enough with the expression of the look and the minimum gestures”, which in any case must be “as rare as possible”. According to “the rules of etiquette”, children should talk to their father “only when they are standing, regardless of the situation”. “Comments that contradict the parents are absolutely inadmissible.”
When referring to the rules of national etiquette in the colloquial sphere, it is said that the ideal is to use “a moderate tone, without long pauses”, without lacking good manners in the expression of ideas”, for which, according to article, “the ability to use phraseological forms, aphorisms or compositions of popular linguistic creativity” is essential, which are recommended as “worthy of imitation”, especially when they come from influential personalities in the life of the nation.
These are not rules of religious, Islamic or other origin. They are “national traditions” imposed and interpreted by the president and his family circle, according to a criterion that seems more tribal than historical or ethical, typical of Turkmen society.
