Turkmenistan President Tries to Dispel Death Rumor With TV Appearance
- Berdymukhamedov appears on state TV with Ashgabat governor
- Rumors of the president’s death spread earlier in the week
Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov
Photographer: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
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Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov made his first appearance on state television after a rumor of his death spread earlier in the week.
Berdymukhamedov was shown driving a car through empty streets in the capital, Ashgabat, before reviewing plans for a new district in the city in a cavernous room together with the local governor Durdylyev Shamukhammet. He appeared to take particular interest in a number of planned bus shelters in the footage, shown on the Wednesday evening news. It was not clear when the clips were filmed.