With a portrait of Turkmenistan President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov in the background a voter casts a ballot in a parliamentary election at a polling station in the capital Ashgabat, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008. It was the first parliamentary election since the death of longtime autocrat Saparmurat Niyazov two years ago, which kindled hopes the Central Asian country would gradually loosen its oppressive political regime and introduce greater freedoms. Niyazov ruled Turkmenistan with an iron fist for almost two decades, isolating the international community and forging a bizarre personality cult. AP Photo logo AP Photo 11 months ago

With a portrait of Turkmenistan President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov in the background a voter casts a ballot in a parliamentary election at a polling station in the capital Ashgabat, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008. It was the first parliamentary election since the death of longtime autocrat Saparmurat Niyazov two years ago, which kindled hopes the Central Asian country would gradually loosen its oppressive political regime and introduce greater freedoms. Niyazov ruled Turkmenistan with an iron fist for almost two decades, isolating the international community and forging a bizarre personality cult.

More Photos of Saparmurat Niyazov

View as Grid »

Explore Photos of Related Topics

Recent Photos From The Wire

  1. Pakistani shopkeeper sells knives, as some sharpen knives, ahead of the Eid-al-Adha celebrations in the old part of Rawalpindi city in Pakistan on Friday, Nov 27, 2009. Eid-al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, is celebrated to commemorate the prophet Ibrahim's faith in being willing to sacrifice his son.
  2. From left; Vaughan Mayor Linda Jackson, Ontario Transportation Minister Jim Bradley, Toronto Mayor David Miller, Canada's Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Toronto Transit Commission chair Adam Giambrone break ground at the construction site of the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension in Toronto November 27, 2009. The subway extension is a joint venture funded by municipal, provincial and federal government.
  3. A family member touches a memorial plaque commemorating the anniversary of Air New Zealand A320 aircraft accident in Canet, November 27, 2009. The Airbus plane crashed while on a test flight into the sea of France's southwest coast near Perpignan with seven people on board, November 28, 2008.
  4. Members of the Austrian team walk to the podium after winning the World Cup team ski jumping event at Ruka ski resort near the town of Kuusamo November 27, 2009. From L are, Thomas Morgenstern, Andreas Kofler, Gregor Schlierenzauer and Wolfgang Loitzl.
  5. A family member lays flowers in front of memorial plaque commemorating the anniversary of Air New Zealand A320 aircraft accident in Canet, November 27, 2009. The Airbus plane crashed while on a test flight into the sea of France's southwest coast near Perpignan with seven people on board, November 28, 2008.
  6. BERLIN - NOVEMBER 27: German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle (L) and his partner Michael Mronz (R) attend the annual press ball 'Bundespresseball' at the Intercontinental Hotel in Berlin on November 27, 2009 in Berlin, Germany.
  7. BERLIN - NOVEMBER 27: German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle (L) and his partner Michael Mronz (R) attend the annual press ball 'Bundespresseball' at the Intercontinental Hotel in Berlin on November 27, 2009 in Berlin, Germany.
  8. People wait to get their knives sharpened at a shop, ahead of Eid-al-Adha in old part of Rawalpindi city in Pakistan on Friday, Nov 27, 2009. Eid-al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, is celebrated to commemorate the prophet Ibrahim's faith in being willing to sacrifice his son.
  9. CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - NOVEMBER 27: Kevin Pietersen of England is bowled out during the 3rd One Day International between South Africa and England at Newlands Cricket Ground on November 27, 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa.
  10. MUNICH, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 27: Member of the Boards of Bayern Muenchen (L-R) Bernd Rauch, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Uli Hoeness, Franz Beckenbauer, Fritz Scheerer and Karl Hopfner pose prior to the FC Bayern Muenchen general meeting at the Neue Messe Munich on November 27, 2009 in Munich, Germany.
  11. CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - NOVEMBER 27: JP Duminy of South Afica is congratulated after taking the wicket of Kevin Pietersen of England during the 3rd One Day International between South Africa and England at Newlands Cricket Ground on November 27, 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa.
  12. MUNICH, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 27: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (R), CEO of Bayern Muenchen talks to the players Mark van Bommel (L), Philipp Lahm (2nd L) and Bastian Schweinsteiger (3rd L) during the FC Bayern Muenchen general meeting at the Neue Messe Munich on November 27, 2009 in Munich, Germany.
  13. South Africa team members react after catching England's Jonathan Trott, unseen, during the One Day International game against South Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, Friday, Nov. 27, 2009.
  14. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, right, and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko seen before their news conference at a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Community's Inter-State Council in Minsk, Friday Nov. 27, 2009. Russia and its ex-Soviet neighbors Kazakhstan and Belarus have agreed to form a customs union in a bid to strengthen their economic ties.
  15. Visitors await the opening ceremony of the world renown Christmas market in Nuremberg, southern Germany, Friday, Nov. 27, 2009.
  16. From left, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev seen during their news conference at a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Community's Inter-State Council in Minsk, Friday Nov. 27, 2009. Russia and its ex-Soviet neighbors Kazakhstan and Belarus have agreed to form a customs union in a bid to strengthen their economic ties.