Tajik President Wants His Portraits Taken Down

Rahmon: Sick of all the adulation

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has instructed officials, from district governors to ministers, to remove all his portraits from public places.

In a special letter Rahmon urged all the officials to stop placing his portraits and carpets with his image on the walls of their offices.

In particular, he demanded the removal of photos picturing officials standing or sitting next to the Tajik leader.

According to Rahmon, his portraits and photos should be removed "to prevent misunderstanding among ordinary citizens."

Rahmon's letter also instructed officials that in the future the Tajik president's portraits might be placed in offices or public places only with the approval of the president's office.

-- Tajik Service