Deportation - The Times Of Central Asia

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religious freedom

Uzbekistan National Deported From Russia Over Public Prayer

A court in St. Petersburg has fined a citizen of Uzbekistan and ordered his deportation from Russia after finding him guilty of illegal missionary activity for leading prayers in a public place, according to Russian judicial authorities. The case was announced by Darya Lebedeva, head of the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg, who said the Primorsky District Court found the man guilty of violating Russian legislation governing freedom of conscience, religion, and religious associations. According to the court statement, the incident took place on May 12 at approximately 7:45 p.m. near Savushkina Street in St. Petersburg. Police officers reportedly discovered the Uzbek citizen, identified by Russian authorities as Dadaboev, conducting a Muslim prayer ritual in a public area. Authorities alleged that he acted “as an imam” without official authorization to conduct religious ceremonies and had not coordinated the event with local executive or municipal authorities, as required under Russian law. Because he is a foreign citizen, the court classified the case under Part 5 of Article 5.26 of Russia’s administrative code, which concerns missionary activity carried out in violation of legal requirements. In court, the defendant reportedly acknowledged the facts outlined in the police protocol and admitted he had not known his actions could violate Russian law. “The objective side of the offense consists of publicly disseminating information about one’s religious beliefs among persons who are not participants in the given religious association, with the purpose of involving them in the religious association, carried out on the territory of the Russian Federation in violation of the requirements established by law,” the court said in its statement. The court imposed a fine of 30,000 rubles (approximately $400) and ordered his deportation from Russia. The incident comes amid increasing pressure on migrant communities in Russia following the country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Migrants from Central Asia have reported more frequent police raids, document inspections, detentions, and deportation threats in recent years, while Russian authorities have tightened migration and residency regulations. The Times of Central Asia previously reported on several incidents involving Central Asian migrants in Russia, including footage that appeared to show a Tajik schoolgirl being beaten by Russian classmates while a teacher looked on, as well as an attack on a Kyrgyz woman in Moscow by a man shouting anti-migrant insults and calling migrants “terrorists.”

Afghan Refugees

Tajikistan Officially Confirms Deportation of Afghan Refugees

Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security (GKNB) has publicly commented for the first time on the deportation of Afghan citizens from the country, citing alleged violations of national law and crimes that the authorities said had sparked public outrage. The statement followed an appeal by Afghan citizen Muhammad Hakim Tursun, who criticized the deportation of his compatriots. In its response, published through the state news agency Khovar, the security service claimed that some Afghan citizens living in Tajikistan had “grossly violated the requirements of the law” despite being provided with conditions for residence, work, and education. To justify the deportations, the agency cited crime statistics that it said involved Afghan citizens and foreign nationals, without clearly explaining the time period covered or how many cases were linked specifically to Afghan refugees in Tajikistan’s Sughd region. According to the GKNB, the authorities recorded 670 cases of illegal drug trafficking, 32 cases involving membership in terrorist organizations, 15 cases of sexual violence against minors, and 594 instances of forged documents being used to obtain refugee status. The security service also reported 45 cases involving the organization of gambling and entertainment establishments and 25 cases related to ties with what it described as “destructive organizations” and attempts to destabilize the situation in the country. Particular attention in the statement was devoted to a high-profile murder case in Khujand. According to the agency, on the evening of April 30, Afghan citizen Rahmoni Muhammadumar allegedly killed local resident Aziza Vokhidova, who, according to authorities, “attempted to defend her honor and dignity.” Earlier, Tajikistan’s Interior Ministry reported the detention of the suspect. In a video released by authorities, the suspect allegedly confessed to the crime, saying he acted because of “strong sexual attraction” and stabbed the woman multiple times. Following the killing, residents of the Dehmoy jamoat in Jabbor Rasulov district told journalists that their Afghan neighbors had suddenly disappeared. According to witnesses, unidentified individuals transported approximately 200 to 250 refugees away in vehicles on May 4, many of whom had reportedly lived there for years. Until the publication of the GKNB statement, the authorities had not officially confirmed the mass deportation of Afghans. Officials had instead limited themselves to reminding foreigners of the need to comply with migration laws. Tajikistan has previously faced criticism over the forced return of Afghan refugees. In December 2024, UNHCR urged the authorities to halt deportations after at least 41 Afghan citizens, including 37 refugees, were returned without due process. The agency warned that forced returns to Afghanistan could violate international law and place returnees at risk. The security service stressed that more than 10,000 Afghan families who obey Tajik laws continue to reside in the country. The statement also said Tajikistan has served as a “second homeland” for several generations of Afghan citizens over the past 35 years and claimed that the state treats them “impartially.” Nevertheless, the agency emphasized that security concerns remain its top priority.

History

How Koreans Were Deported to Central Asia: Myths and Reality

The 1937 deportation from the Soviet Far East was the greatest tragedy in the history of Soviet Koreans, Koryo-saram, the self-designation of ethnic Koreans living across the former Soviet Union. It became the first case in Soviet history in which an entire ethnic group was forcibly relocated solely on the basis of ethnicity. Later, Soviet Germans, Crimean Tatars, Chechens, Ingush, Kalmyks, Poles, Kurds, and many other peoples would endure similar repression. For decades, this history remained largely suppressed, giving rise to numerous myths and misconceptions surrounding the deportation. Yet it is inaccurate to claim that Koreans first appeared in Kazakhstan and Central Asia only in 1937. Historical and archaeological evidence points to earlier Korean ties with the region. The 1897 census of the Russian Empire recorded 42 Koreans living in Turkestan, while in 1929 a Korean agricultural cooperative called “Kazakh Rice” was established in Kazakhstan. Nevertheless, 1937 marked the beginning of the modern history of Koreans in Central Asia. Myth One: The Deportation Was a Sudden Decision One common belief is that Joseph Stalin suddenly decided to deport Koreans from the Soviet Far East as part of a campaign against Japanese espionage. Reality In fact, plans to relocate Koreans had been discussed since the late 1920s. The Politburo of the Soviet Communist Party repeatedly revisited the issue of the Korean population living in border regions. The joint decree issued by the Soviet government and Communist Party on August 21, 1937 (No. 1428-326ss), was the culmination of a long-term state policy. By the mid-1930s, the Soviet Far East was increasingly viewed as a vulnerable frontier zone. Japan had expanded its military presence in the region, and Soviet authorities feared a possible war. Koreans living in compact settlements near the border, while maintaining cultural and family ties with Korea, came to be regarded as politically unreliable. Ironically, many of them had originally fled to Russia precisely to escape Japanese colonial rule in Korea. Myth Two: The Deportation Was Entirely About Japanese Espionage Officially, Soviet authorities justified the deportation as a measure aimed at preventing Japanese espionage. Reality The espionage threat served more as a pretext than the principal cause. During the years of the Great Terror, Stalin’s regime perceived danger not only in individuals, but also in entire social and ethnic groups. Suspicion replaced evidence, and ethnic origin itself could become grounds for repression. Local officials sought to demonstrate political vigilance, while the state simultaneously pursued broader strategic and economic goals: strengthening military control in the Far East and redirecting labor resources to Kazakhstan and Central Asia, regions devastated by collectivization and famine. [caption id="attachment_48623" align="aligncenter" width="854"] Museum of the History of Russian Koreans (Koryo-saram) in Ussuriysk.[/caption] Myth Three: The Operation Was Chaotic For many deported families, the expulsion felt like a sudden catastrophe, creating the impression of disorder and improvisation. Reality At the state level, however, the operation was carefully organized. Before the deportation, party purges and political repression had already targeted the Korean intelligentsia. Soviet authorities fabricated cases involving alleged...

Deportation

Austria to Use Uzbekistan as Transit Route for Afghan Deportations Under New Agreement

Austria’s Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger and Interior Minister Gerhard Karner are expected to visit Uzbekistan on May 7 to sign a mobility agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation on migration, according to Die Presse. The agreement is intended to improve coordination between the two countries, particularly on deportations and the return of migrants. Austrian officials say it will create a more structured framework for handling individuals required to leave the country. A key provision involves the use of Uzbekistan as a transit route for deportations to Afghanistan. Afghan nationals facing removal from Austria could be escorted through Uzbekistan to Kabul. Until now, deportations to Afghanistan have largely taken place via Istanbul, meaning the new arrangement would open what officials describe as a “second route.” Karner said the deal would establish “the conditions for the consistent implementation of deportations as part of a firm and fair asylum policy.” The agreement also covers the readmission of nationals, third-country citizens, and stateless individuals who entered the European Union through Uzbekistan. In return, the document includes provisions to support legal migration from Uzbekistan to Austria. Despite its growing economy, Uzbekistan is heavily reliant on remittances from abroad, with Uzbek migrants sending home $4.8 billion in Q2 of 2025. Over the past few years, Tashkent has been seeking out alternative destinations than traditional routes dominated by Russia. To that effect, both Uzbekistan and Austria have committed to promoting “safe, orderly, and regular mobility of qualified workers” in line with national legislation. Austrian authorities note that Uzbek professionals already have multiple pathways to access the country’s labor market. The agreement does not provide for the establishment of return centers for rejected asylum seekers, an idea Austria has been pursuing with several EU partners, including Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, and Denmark. The visit to Uzbekistan is part of a broader regional trip that will also include Kazakhstan, which Austrian officials consider an important partner, particularly in the energy sector. The planned agreement comes amid continued migration pressures linked to Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation. According to the United Nations Development Programme, in 2024 around 85% of Afghanistan’s population was living on less than $1 a day. In June 2025, the World Food Programme reported that approximately 15 million people in the country were facing severe hunger. At the same time, large-scale deportations from neighboring countries have added to the strain. In July last year, Tajikistan launched a campaign to detain and deport Afghan refugees, giving them 15 days to leave the country.

Deportation

Deportation Flight from U.S. Returns 65 Nationals to Uzbekistan

Some 65 Uzbekistani nationals have returned to Uzbekistan after being deported from the United States because they didn’t have legal authorization to be there, according to the U.S. government. The deportation flight concluded on Wednesday, in “the latest in a series of ongoing actions as the United States secures its borders,” the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan said. The embassy said the United States had deported more than 1,000 Uzbekistanis since President Donald Trump took office for a second term in January 2025. As it has done following previous deportations, the agency thanked Uzbekistan for its “close cooperation.” Trump launched an immigration crackdown, and Uzbekistan has urged its citizens in the United States to follow local laws. After one deportation flight last year, Uzbekistan said it had funded the transportation but later said its repatriated citizens should pay for their travel.

Migration Policy

Uzbek Migration Agency Clarifies Legal Status Rules for Citizens in Turkey

Uzbekistan’s Migration Agency has issued an official clarification in response to social media posts and Telegram channel reports claiming that Uzbek citizens are no longer being deported from Turkey. The agency stated that such interpretations are misleading and do not reflect existing agreements or procedures. According to the agency, the issue at hand is not the cancellation of deportations, but rather the possibility of legalizing migration status strictly within the boundaries of Turkey’s current legal framework. “Responsibility for illegal stay and violations of migration law in Türkiye remains in force,” the agency said, urging citizens to rely exclusively on official sources and to view a detailed explanatory video published by the agency. The clarification follows what the agency described as inaccurate portrayals of ongoing consultations. Officials stressed that some outlets had distorted the nature of the discussions, leading to confusion among the public. The agency emphasized that the safety and legal protection of citizens abroad can only be guaranteed when migrants comply with the laws of host countries. Addressing the situation of undocumented migrants, the agency stated that Uzbek citizens currently residing or working illegally in Turkey may apply to Turkish migration authorities or to the agency’s representative office in Turkey to legalize their status, without facing deportation, provided they follow the established legal procedures. However, it warned that this does not mean individuals can leave Turkey without consequence if they have violated migration rules. The clarification comes amid heightened attention to the status of Uzbek migrants in Turkey following a high-profile criminal case in Istanbul. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, on January 24 the body of an Uzbek woman, identified as Durdona H., was found in a garbage container in Istanbul. Two Uzbek men were detained while attempting to flee to Georgia in connection with the case. The killing sparked protests in Turkey, where women called for justice for Durdona and other victims. On January 30, Uzbekistan’s Consulate General in Istanbul announced that Durdona’s body and her two children had been repatriated. The consulate stated that all related expenses were covered by the diplomatic mission and the Migration Agency. The Migration Agency concluded its statement by reiterating its call for responsible information sharing, and warning against the spread of unverified claims that could endanger citizens abroad.