Turkmenistan's leader does donuts around 'Hell's Gate' to prove he's not dead

A still from the 25 minute report broadcast to confirm Berdymukhamedov is alive
A still from the 25 minute report broadcast to confirm Berdymukhamedov is alive Photo credit: Watan Habarlary

The president of Turkmenistan has seemingly proved he is alive by appearing on state television driving a rally car around a fiery pit in the ground.

Rumours that Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov had died began to swirl in July, after the 62-year-old had not been seen in public for several weeks.

On July 20, Russian media seemingly "confirmed" the death of Berdymukhamedov, after an analyst told a Moscow radio station the death was confirmed to him by a businessman in Turkmenistan, reports CNN.    

The same day, the Central Asian states' embassy in Russia denied this, calling it "an absolute hoax."

It broadcast the footage of Berdymukhamedov on Monday which showed him seemingly driving a rally car around the famous Hell's Gate crater. It is not known when the footage was filmed, reports CNN.

Berdymukhamedov has come under fire from the Human Rights Watch for his authoritarian reign. 

Foreign media have little access to Turkmenistan, political and religious expression is punished, and no independent monitoring groups are allowed in, according to the Human Rights Watch. 

Newshub.