RFE/RL's Daniel Kimmage noted in yesterday's and today's RFE/RL Newsline:
May 16: Akmarat Rejepov, Head of Turkmenistan's National Guard, and Geldymurad Ashirmuhammedov, Turkmenistan's Minister of National Security, were dismissed from their posts. Mr. Rejepov was ostensibly going to be ‘reassigned’ to another position.
May 17th: Mr. Rejepov was arrested.
May 18: Ashirmuhammedov is reported as arrested earlier and already undergoing interrogation.
President Berdymukhammedov is reported to be appointing new officials from his home town of Goektepe to replace various officials and consolidate power. Turkmenistan has two rival secret service agencies, and this reaches both of them.
Mr. Kimmage referred to an article by Arkady Dubnov, available here. Mr. Dubnov ends his article with: “New arrests in Turkmen secret service are expected.”
Etching: Giovanni Batistan Piranesi, Carceri VII.
