Tajikistan’s president Rahmon not seen in public for almost two weeks, speculation over health grows
Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon has not been seen in public for almost two weeks, Radio Ozodi reported on February 10.
The unknown whereabouts of the 73-year-old, who has led Tajikistan since 1992, have caused a wave of speculation, but in its report the media outlet said that a source close to the Tajik government told it that Rahmon “is on vacation,” having flown on February 8 “to Hainan Island in China [also] for medical treatment”.
In contrast, Pamir Inside news agency on February 9 cited three sources who said that “Emomali Rahmon left the country at the end of January for medical treatment”. Various local media, meanwhile, wrote of claims in circulation that Tajik law enforcement agencies are in a “barracks” state, with the situation likely to continue until February 12.
The presidency has not commented on Rahmon’s absence from public view but in both 2020 and 2022 he disappeared for around two weeks with no explanation, prior to returning to his duties.
The last photo posted of Rahmon by his presidential website is from January 28.
Speculation over Rahmon’s state of health was fuelled on February 9 when his son, Mayor of Dushanbe and Speaker of the National Assembly Rustam Emomali, who is widely expected to succeed his father, wrote on his Facebook page that “children will immortalise the names of their parents, if we have raised them well”.
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