The US Government has released travel advice claiming the UK and many countries in Europe are less safe than nations ruled by despots where it is still a crime to be gay. The bizarre map produced by the US State Department also claims sparsely populated Greenland, the world’s largest island and part of Denmark, is more dangerous than the United States where nearly 118 people a day were killed in gun violence last year.
Britain is classed as a Level 2 destination where it is advised travellers from the US “exercise increased caution”, with a similar warning given for France, Germany and Spain.
In contrast, countries such as Canada, Australia and the US are given the least dangerous rating of Level 1, meaning “exercise normal precautions”.
In December last year data from the US-based Gun Violence Archive showed more than 40,000 Americans were killed in shootings in 2023. In the UK in 2022 there were 26 gun-related deaths, according to the National Crime Agency.
In Turkmenistan, which is ranked the highest safety level alongside the US, it is still against the law to be gay and those caught face lengthy jail terms.
The leader of the country is Serdar Berdimuhamedow, who is only the third president of Turkmenistan since the country gained independence in 1991. He is also the son of the last ruler of the country Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.
According to Amnesty International in Turkmenistan: “Serious human rights violations continued unabated across the board, including arbitrary detentions and politically motivated convictions of anyone daring to criticise or challenge official policy.
“The authorities continued to exercise strict control over the flow of information and all media.
“Turkmenistan failed to take meaningful action to address climate change. Women and girls saw their rights and freedoms, including bodily autonomy, restricted further. Abortion was effectively banned.”
This year the football team Arkadag, set up by the former leader of Turkmenistan Mr Berdymukhamedov, won the country’s top league in the first season they entered.
Mr Berdymukhamedov ran an authoritarian and repressive state and is now the speaker of the Turkmen parliament.
