Gurbanmuhammet Kasymow

Kasymow graduated from the Faculty of Law at Turkmen State University in 1976.^[2]

He has been described as one of the most influential government officials within the government of President Saparmyrat Nyýazow during the 1990s.^[2] He served as the interior minister from 1993 to 1998, during which he actively suppressed anti-government protests in Ashgabat in 1995, leading to the imprisonment of dozens of opposition activists.^[1][2] He then became Minister of Defense from 1998 to 1999 and Minister of Justice from 1999 until 2001.^[2]

Kasymow next served as Ambassador to China from 2001 to 2008 and Ambassador to Kazakhstan from 2008 until 2009.^[2] He remained a policy advisor within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until shortly before his death.^[2]

Gurbanmuhammet Kasymow died from complications of COVID-19 at his residence in Gökje, a former village in Ashgabat, on 2 September 2021, at the age of 68.^[2] The government publicly denies the presence of COVID-19 in Turkmenistan and Kasymow's cause of death was not reported in the Turkmen media.^[1][2]