Last month Mariam Kiparoidze reported how the government of Turkmenistan has refused to acknowledge the existence of coronavirus — despite the nation’s hospitals being overwhelmed with patients exhibiting symptoms similar to those of Covid-19.

Under legislation introduced on September 7, the people of Turkmenistan — one of the world’s most isolated and repressive regimes — now face jail terms of two to five years if they escape hospitals or avoid treatment for conditions "recognized as dangerous infectious diseases of an epidemic or pandemic nature.“ 

This amendment to the country’s criminal code was signed by President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, but Turkmenistan has yet to confirm a single coronavirus case within its borders. 

“Cover-ups like this when a country is in crisis generate confusion, rumors and public distrust,” said Rachel Denber, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia division, via email. “The government’s response to this — creating criminal penalties for ‘maliciously evading treatment’ is wrong and counterproductive. Laws creating criminal sanctions for spreading Covid-19 are not a legitimate or proportionate response to the threat posed by the virus. Criminalization might also have negative public health consequences, including discouraging people from seeking testing and care.”