Hero of Turkmenistan's son deprived of business

After attempting suicide, Gulberdy Sopyev, son of Hero of Turkmenistan and Hero of Socialist Labour Muradberdy Sopyev, has been in coma for eight months.

Gulberdy Sopyev was quite a successful entrepreneur. Prosperous business attracts the attention of Turkmen officials. The entrepreneur had a complicated and protracted argument with representatives of regional authorities.

The Sopyevs' ancestral village is the village of Gyami, near Ashgabat. Gulberdy lived in the neighbouring village Anau (Enev). This territory is now part of the etrap "Ak bugdai" of the Akhal velayat.

G. Sopyev tried to maintain his independence but was persecuted by representatives of the tax office, sanitary services and numerous regulatory agencies which tried to make his successful business bankrupt. The entrepreneur failed to win the battle with the superior forces of state officials.

Early one morning in July his relatives found him hanging by a rope. They managed to rescue him from death. They took him to hospital but Gulberdy did not regain consciousness and is still in a coma.

We have received reports that this is the fifth case of suicide attempts among male entrepreneurs in Anau who have lost their business over the past year and a half. Vulnerability to actions by government agencies, responsibility for the fate of their families and fear that the family is doomed to poverty urge family heads to commit suicide.

Gulberdy's father – Muradberdy Sopyev – was very influential during the USSR times and during Niyazov's presidency. He ran a large agricultural association and was awarded numerous government awards. In July 2010 he retired.

Source: TIHR