Turkmenistan is a unique place, with traditions and cultural manifestations that go beyond imagination. One of the elements that make it so fascinating is that it is a mysterious country that most of the Western civilization hasn’t even heard of, so it has that “exotic” label, but not in the same way as a Caribbean island, for example. The nation has breathtaking landscapes and a very particular architecture.
The country endured a hard dictatorship personified by Saparmyrat Niyazov, which ended in 2006 at the time of his death, but while elections were held shortly after, the winner, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, has since acted as president, and many of the things that made Niyazov’s regime so feared are still intact.
Like Niyazov, Berdimuhamedow’s government has mostly kept media at bay. Every newspaper has to show a picture of the president on the front page, Internet is slow and expensive (roughly 5% of the population has access to the web,) and if you manage to enter it, you will discover that most international sites, including social media networks, are blocked by the government.
Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are limited in reality. Governmental censorship is also added to the equation to make Turkmenistan one of the worst places to use the web. You can’t enter sites such as Facebook or Twitter, for example.
Internet cafes run by the government are available for people to use, but you need to leave your passport while you enjoy it. Some hotels that host foreigners also have the service, but at incredibly expensive rates. An additional letdown is that there is only one Internet service provider and it Is controlled by the government, so even if you find a good connection, all your traffic, emails, and browsing history will be monitored.
That is why tourists and people with desires and needs to go online have used a VPN to access the Internet in Turkmenistan. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, an online tool that allows the customer to earn another identity while connected to the web, thus bypassing governmental blockings and censorships.
However, there is another issue: the Turkmenistan government identified that people were spoofing their location to circumvent their measures, so they decided to ban the VPN use in the country since 2015. If the ISP detects a VPN, it will block it and whoever is using it would face harsh penalties, including “preventive conversations” to the Ministry of National Security, where they face intimidation.
There are still VPNs that work in Turkmenistan. However, it is a fluid situation: the government may block new brands with each passing day while other companies that were restricted may find ways to get back on track.
Best free VPN to access Facebook in Turkmenistan
Here are some of the best free VPNs to access Facebook, Twitter, and other blocked pages in Turkmenistan:
1. Windscribe VPN
Pros:
- Safe and secure to use.
- Torrenting allowed.
- Paid service is not too expensive.
- Apps are user-friendly.
Free Plan Limitations:
- Premium version is bit slow.
- No kill switch.
- Based in Canada.
- Support is slow.
- No live chat support.
2. SurfEasy VPN
The other two paid modes are affordable, at $3.99 and $6.49, and both include tracker blocking and unlimited data. The latter also comes with 12 additional countries and torrenting protection.
Pros:
- Five simultaneous devices in the free version
- Servers in 16 countries for free!
- Good encryption and privacy to protect your connection and access Facebook in Turkmenistan
Free plan limitations:
- The 500 MB per month limit is insufficient
- No tracker blocking in the free version
- There is no tracker blocking or torrenting support in the free mode
- The free version limits data transfer to 500 MB per month, whereas other plans have no caps
- The free version has 16 countries, and the Ultra one has 28
3. Tunnelbear VPN
It has a free service, but it caps user data at 500 MB per day (with the ability to go up to 1 GB.) The paid version is exciting too and has more features, such as browser extensions and a stand-alone ad blocker. Speeds are mediocre, and the server network is a bit lacking, as well, but overall, Tunnelbear passes the eye test.
Pros:
- Very easy to install and use
- The free version doesn’t show ads
- The privacy policy is clear and concise
Free Plan Limitations:
- 500 MB per month is very little bandwidth
- Speeds are mediocre
- The server network isn’t special
- Only 500 MB of monthly data: other paid plans have no limits
Best paid options
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the best all-around VPN brand in the market, with DNS leak protection, a kill switch, split tunneling, 148 total locations, a fantastic customer service, and a good track record of working in remote places such as Turkmenistan.
Pros:
- Broad server network
- Excellent speeds and performance
- No DNS or IPv6 leaks
- Top customer service
- A myriad of security features available
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2. VyprVPN
Pros:
- Allow 3 days free trial.
- Speed is too good.
- Apps are easy to use.
- Secure and reliable apps.
- Live chat support.
- Strong encryptions.
- Easy to unblock Netflix.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, you need one of the best free VPN for Turkmenistan to open Facebook, Twitter, and dozens of pages that the government blocked to control what its citizens do or visit in the few opportunities they have to go online. It is a place with heavy censorship that has also identified and restricted VPN access, so the situation is fluid. If you find a VPN that works there, take advantage while you can.
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