Tajikistan: Leadership cult launched

According to a report by Asia News on 29 March 2021, a museum dedicated to the "eternal president" of Tajikistan was inaugurated in Dushanbe on 27 March 2021. The museum honors Emomali Rahmon, in power since 1992 as prime minister, and president since 1994. The museum has exhibits on his childhood, youth, travels and political commitment. As the report states: "Patriotism in Tajikistan is now totally absorbed by the personality cult of Rahmon, and the museum is a model of this form of divinization". World Watch Research analyst Rolf Zeegers comments: "Tajikistan is definitely becoming more similar to Turkmenistan where a leadership cult ƒ  la North Korea has been practiced for decades already. The term "˜eternal president" indicates that Rahmon is intending to stay in power until his death. Since the leadership intends to stay in power so long, this means that Christians will see no improvement in their situation any time soon."