The Silence of Hitrowskin: A Blogger’s Disappearance in Turkmenistan

In Turkmenistan, a country known for its closed government, the internet is often where people share the difficult realities of everyday life. But recently, a popular voice online has gone silent, raising worries about a new crackdown on those who disagree with the government.

Known as Hitrowskin to his followers, Didar, a popular TikTok creator, has been missing since late November 2025. He disappeared after posting a video about the rising cost of living, specifically the price of meat. In his last video, he questioned how people could afford to live when meat prices had jumped to $140–150$ manats (about $\$40–\$43$), a huge amount for most families in the country. He warned that if prices did not go down, people would have to stop eating meat.

Hitrowskin often talked about controversial subjects. From the Hitrovka district of Ashgabat, he gained many followers by sharing information about social inequality, government wrongdoing, and the big difference between what the government says and what the working class experiences. In a country where the government controls the media, his videos offered a rare, honest look at the concerns of the Turkmen people.

Since he went missing, the Turkmen online community has been full of rumors and sadness. Some say that Didar was killed and buried in late November as punishment for speaking out, but these reports have not been confirmed. Because the Turkmen government is so secretive, it is almost impossible to confirm anything, as officials rarely discuss the status of activists or those who are detained.

The worries about his disappearance are increased by reports of a larger campaign focusing on social media users. Security forces and cybersecurity units in areas such as Balkan velayat are reportedly calling people in for questioning. They often take their phones and ask aggressive questions about their political views and their contacts with independent media outside the country.

One resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said that security officers threatened them after they left a supportive comment on a video about Hitrowskin. The officers used the blogger’s situation as a scary warning, asking the resident if they had a second head to replace the one they might lose for criticizing the government.

This crackdown is happening during a time of growing economic stress. As shortages of basic goods and rising prices continue to trouble the country, more people are turning to platforms like TikTok to share their frustrations. Human rights observers suggest that the government is now acting aggressively to stop this online dissent before it turns into wider social unrest. Right now, the disappearance of Hitrowskin is a sad reminder of the cost of free speech in Turkmenistan.