The opening of a cafe devoted¹ to Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised eyebrows² over its use of Western leaders' images in the toilets.

 

一家以俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京为主题的咖啡馆近日开业，其厕所内挂着的西方国家的领导人肖像真是让人大跌眼镜。

 

The appropriately named President cafe, in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, has adorned³ its interior with photos of Mr Putin across the years, and plays the Russian national anthem⁴ every day at midnight, state-owned Rossiya 24 TV reports.

 

But the establishment's toilets are a Putin-free zone. Labelled "Nato bloc⁵", they're plastered with images of "non-friendly Western leaders" including David Cameron, Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, the report says. Barack Obama gets a look in too - on the toilet paper.

 

The owners have provided a black marker pen for visitors to add their own flourishes to the leaders' photos. The menu doesn't discriminate⁶, though, with both French fries and Coca Cola on offer.

 

One customer tells the channel that he liked the toilets' decor and would "revisit it with pleasure", but the report notes that Krasnoyarsk residents aren't all so enthusiastic, with some concerned it could violate the law on inciting⁷ hatred⁸.

 

Lawyer Igor Simonov seems to agree, telling the channel that individuals' images can't be used without permission. He says even if the use is satirical, it would violate "one's personal rights, honour, dignity and business reputation".

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