Turkmenistan's Authoritarian President Sacks Several Top Officials

Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhammedov

Turkmenistan's authoritarian President Serdar Berdymukhammedov sacked several top officials of the isolated nation last week for "poor job performance," state media outlets reported over the weekend. The officials dismissed on July 14 include Energy Minister Hajimuhammet Rejepmyradov; Agriculture Minister Allanur Altyyev; the chief of the Turkmenhimiya chemical concern, Nyyazly Nyyazlyyev; the chairman of the State Joint Stock Exchange, Begench Charyyev; and the chairman of the State Sports Committee, Gulmyrat Agamyradov. Berdymukhammedov also replaced governors of the country's five regions. To read the original story by the RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, click here.