Saparmyrat Nyýazow

Saparmyrat Nyýazow, also known as Saparmurat Niyazov, was a prominent Turkmen politician and dictator who held power over Turkmenistan from 1985 until his death in 2006. Initially serving as the first secretary of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan, he played a significant role during the tumultuous period leading up to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Following Turkmenistan's independence in 1991, he continued to assert his authority as the nation's first president for an additional fifteen years.

Nyýazow was often referred to by the title His Excellency Saparmyrat Türkmenbaşy, which translates to 'Head of the Turkmen' or 'Leader of all Turkmen.' This title underscored his self-proclaimed status as the founder and president of the Association of Turkmens of the World. In 1999, the Assembly of Turkmenistan declared him President for life, solidifying his grip on power.

His regime was marked by extreme repression and a pervasive cult of personality. Nyýazow imposed his eccentricities on the nation, including the renaming of months and days of the week in honor of his autobiography, the Ruhnama. This book became a mandatory subject in schools and government institutions, with job applicants required to demonstrate knowledge of its teachings. In a controversial move, he closed all rural libraries and hospitals outside the capital, Ashgabat, claiming that those in need of medical care could travel to the city.

Under Nyýazow's rule, Turkmenistan experienced one of the lowest life expectancies in Central Asia. Reports from Global Witness, a human rights organization, indicated that he controlled vast sums of money, estimated to be in excess of three billion dollars, with a significant portion allegedly held in the Foreign Exchange Reserve Fund at Deutsche Bank in Germany.