Hopes for reform in Turkmenistan after the death of its megalomaniacal dictator have faded fast as political machinations in the country appear geared toward a continuance of strict one-party domination. Less than a week after self-proclaimed "father of the Turkmen" Sapurmurat Niyazov died of reported heart failure on Dec. 21, Turkmenistan's politicians moved to amend the constitution, install pre-selected candidates for upcoming presidential elections, and arrest hundreds of potential political opponents. "Sadly Niyzaov's passing has been followed by a complete lack of democratic signs and there is yet to be any basis for reasonable optimism," says Erika Dailey, Director of the Open Society Institute's Turkmenistan Project.
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