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Migrants

Potential Mass Expulsion of Migrants Looms in Russia

Russia introduced new regulations for foreign citizens in the country on February 5, and started keeping a list at the Interior Ministry of foreigners who are living or staying in Russia without proper documentation, the “controlled persons registry.” The rules are aimed at migrant laborers working in Russia, many of whom come from Central Asian countries. Russia has set a September 10 deadline for foreigners in the country to clear up all their paperwork with the authorities or face expulsion with a ban on re-entry. Judging by recent comments from Kyrgyzstan’s ambassador to Russia, Kubanychbek Bokontayev, many might not make that September 10 deadline. Needed but Not Desired Over the course of the last two decades, millions of citizens from Central Asian countries have worked in Russia. Most are from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The remittances they send home have grown to the point where this money now accounts for nearly 40% of the GDP in Tajikistan, 24% in Kyrgyzstan, and 14% in Uzbekistan. Most of these remittances come from Russia. Russia badly needs the extra workers, and, until recently, the arrangement seemed to suit all parties. But the March 2024 terrorist attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall changed the situation. The Russian authorities detained and charged a group of Tajik nationals for the attack, and the always simmering xenophobia in Russia, particularly toward Central Asians, boiled over. New rules and restrictions have been imposed on migrant workers. Those that came into force in February this year were only the latest in a series of changes that already included mandatory fingerprinting and photographs upon entry to Russia, a reduction in the term of stay from 180 to 90 days, and an increasing list of infractions that provide grounds for deportation. In 2024, Russia expelled some 157,000 migrants who were in the country illegally, which, according to Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, was an increase of some 50% over 2023. The Clock Is Ticking At the start of February, just before the latest regulations came into effect, Russia’s Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandr Gorovoi said there were some 670,000 foreigners living illegally in Russia. Gorovoi added that more than half were women and children, “those who entered, but we do not see that they received a patent registered with the migration service… [or] that an employment agreement was concluded with them.” On July 24, Kyrgyz media outlet AKIpress published an interview with the Kyrgyz Ambassador to Russia, Bokontayev, in which he said that at the start of July, there were some 113,000 Kyrgyz citizens on the controlled persons registry, which he referred to as the “gray list.” He also said there were some 80,000 Kyrgyz citizens on the “black list” of people barred from entering Russia. In a separate interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Kyrgyz Service published on July 25, Kyrgyzstan’s General Consul in Russia, Bakyt Asanaliyev, said that about 30% of the Kyrgyz citizens on the gray list are children. Ambassador Bokontayev said Kyrgyzstan’s embassy is working to make sure...

Afghan Refugees

Tajikistan Escalates Deportations of Afghan Refugees Amid Growing Concerns

Afghans who fled to Tajikistan are keeping a low profile lately. Tajik authorities have started the latest wave of deportations, and this one looks to be bigger than the previous sweeps. “You Have 15 Days” At the beginning of July, Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers in Tajikistan received an SMS warning them to leave the country within 15 days or else they would be forcibly deported. Tajikistan’s government has not commented on these messages, but the detention of Afghans started not long after the messages were sent. So far, the only two places mentioned where Afghans were being apprehended were the Rudaki district outside of Dushanbe and the town of Vahdat, 26 kilometers from Dushanbe. Hundreds of Afghan refugees are known to be living in these two areas. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Ozodi, reported that journalists who went to the houses of Afghan refugees in Vahdat were stopped and turned away by men in military uniforms outside the homes. Some Afghan refugees in Vahdat spoke with Ozodi under the condition of anonymity and said that on July 15, several vans arrived and took away “dozens” of Afghan men, women, and children. One said Afghan refugees are staying inside their homes, fearing that if they go out, they will be detained and deported. Police “take the documents from Afghans and set a date for them to leave the country,” the refugee said, “For more than 20 days we have practically not stepped outside at all.” Local Tajiks confirmed that Afghans were being taken away and that many of those who remained were searching for new places to live to avoid being apprehended. The Tajik authorities did not say anything about the deportations until July 19, when the state news agency Khovar posted a text from the Press Center of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security. The statement said some “foreign citizens” had entered Tajikistan illegally, and a “certain number” of them engaged in illegal activities such as “narcotics trafficking, [spreading] the ideas of extremist movements,” or providing false information or documents to acquire refugee status. The office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that as of the end of 2024, there were 9,902 Afghan refugees registered in Tajikistan. However, Afghans have been fleeing their homeland and coming to Tajikistan for many years, and some estimates for the number of Afghans in Tajikistan run as high as 13,000. Something else which remains unclear about the Afghan refugees in Tajikistan is how many are ethnic Tajiks. Ostensibly, most of them could be since the ethnic Tajik population of Afghanistan is mainly found in areas adjacent to Tajikistan. Many who came to Tajikistan 10 or 15 years ago have assimilated and are likely not refugees or asylum seekers, but may not have obtained Tajik citizenship. It is unclear how many Afghan citizens have been detained and deported since the start of July, but they are just the latest to be sent back to...

Migration

Kazakhstan Deports 10,000 Foreigners Amid Crackdown on Migration Violations

Nearly 10,000 foreign citizens have been deported from Kazakhstan since the beginning of 2025, according to First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Baurzhan Alenov. The announcement was made during a recent government meeting addressing migration trends and enforcement measures. Alenov noted a consistent rise in the number of foreign arrivals to the country. In the first half of 2025 alone, more than 7.5 million people entered Kazakhstan, while 7.2 million departed, a net increase of 600,000 compared to the same period in 2024. Approximately 90% of those arriving are citizens of post-Soviet states. “It is important to note that 97% of foreign citizens comply with migration laws. However, more than 200,000 individuals have faced administrative penalties,” Alenov stated. “Of these, 46,000 were fined for violating residency rules, and nearly 10,000 have been deported with a five-year ban on re-entry.” In addition, over 2,000 employers were fined for the illegal employment of foreign workers. Seven criminal cases have been opened against repeat offenders. Migration Patterns and Permanent Residency As of mid-2025, approximately 212,000 foreign nationals reside in Kazakhstan on a permanent basis. The largest concentration is in Almaty (42,000), followed by the Almaty region (32,000), and both Astana and the Karaganda region (17,000 each). Over the past three years, the number of permanent foreign residents has risen by 42%. Kazakhstan also hosts around 430,000 temporary foreign residents. Of these, 360,000 are labor migrants, 17,000 arrived for family reunification, 8,000 for educational purposes, and 44,000 for tourism or private matters. Government Response and New Initiatives Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov emphasized the need for stricter enforcement of migration laws. He highlighted that over 7,000 violations were detected in May alone during nationwide operations. “Such incidents must be addressed promptly. We need to actively implement digital tools. The introduction of migrant ID cards, issued at border entry points, must be accelerated to improve monitoring and regulation,” Bektenov said. He instructed the Ministry of Internal Affairs to tighten administrative oversight and called on the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection to enhance regulation of private agencies involved in sending Kazakh citizens abroad for work. “These agencies currently operate without accountability or oversight. By year’s end, legislative amendments must be proposed to require licensing of such activities. Additionally, I instruct the Ministry of Labor to submit a draft Concept of Migration and Demographic Policy by October 1. This document should align with the Concept of Regional Policy being developed through 2030,” Bektenov concluded. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the majority of foreign labor migrants in Kazakhstan in 2025 have come from China, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and India, working primarily in the construction sector.

Afghan Refugees

Tajikistan Confirms Deportation of Afghan Refugees

Tajikistan has officially confirmed the deportation of Afghan refugees residing in the country, according to a statement issued by the Press Center of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Tajik authorities launched a large-scale campaign to expel Afghan nationals, giving them just 15 days to leave the country. The move, which has been verified by the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), has sparked fear and confusion among thousands of Afghan refugees, including those holding valid residence permits and asylum documents. Tajik officials justified the decision by citing what they described as a “difficult political and economic situation in the region and worldwide.” The statement emphasized that while many foreign citizens reside legally in Tajikistan for various reasons, some have entered the country illegally or committed serious violations of local laws. According to the authorities, inspections revealed multiple infractions, including illegal drug trafficking, the promotion of extremist ideologies, submission of false documentation for refugee status, violations of migration rules, possession of citizenship from third countries, and the use of Tajikistan as a transit route. “As a result, actions are being taken in accordance with national legislation to deport these individuals,” the statement read. “In particular, the deportation of a number of Afghan citizens is linked to these violations.” In January 2025, UNHCR publicly called on Tajikistan to halt the deportations, following reports that dozens of Afghan refugees were expelled in December 2024. The agency said that at least 80 Afghans were deported, many of whom had valid refugee documentation. UNHCR warned that such actions contravene international law and place individuals at risk. By the end of 2024, approximately 9,000 Afghan refugees were residing in Tajikistan.

Refugees

Tajikistan Gives Afghan Refugees 15 Days to Leave

Tajikistan has launched a large-scale campaign to detain and deport Afghan refugees, giving them just 15 days to leave the country. The move, reported by Afghanistan’s Khaama Press and confirmed by the UN refugee agency UNHCR, has sparked fear and confusion among thousands of Afghans in Tajikistan, including many with valid residency permits or official asylum documentation. According to Khaama Press, detentions have intensified in recent days, particularly around Vahdat township and Rudaki district near the capital, Dushanbe. Afghan men are reportedly being arrested in large numbers, often directly from their workplaces, with little to no warning or opportunity to contact family members. The deportation order is believed to affect thousands of Afghans, including individuals legally residing in Tajikistan while awaiting resettlement to countries such as Canada. Many are former civil servants, military personnel, or others affiliated with the pre-Taliban Afghan government who fled after the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. Human rights advocates warn that forced repatriation could expose them to immediate danger UNHCR Condemnation and International Concerns The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has expressed deep concern over Tajikistan’s actions. In January 2025, UNHCR urged Dushanbe to cease deportations after confirming that at least 80 Afghan refugees were forcibly returned in December 2024, despite holding UN-issued refugee documents. UNHCR stated that these deportations violate international protection obligations and risk exposing vulnerable individuals to persecution, detention, or violence in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. As of late 2024, approximately 9,000 Afghan refugees were officially registered in Tajikistan. With the new 15-day ultimatum and ongoing arrests, many more are now at risk. Refugee advocates report that detentions are being carried out indiscriminately, often without regard for legal status. Part of a Wider Regional Crackdown Tajikistan’s campaign mirrors broader regional trends. In recent months, both Iran and Pakistan have undertaken mass deportations of Afghan nationals. Human rights organizations have documented widespread reports of abuse, intimidation, and even killings of returnees by Taliban forces. Observers warn that options for Afghan refugees are rapidly diminishing. Resettlement programs remain slow, and few countries have opened new asylum pathways. As a result, thousands of displaced Afghans across Central and South Asia face a stark choice: live under constant threat of arrest and expulsion or return to a homeland where persecution may await.

International

Turkish Court Orders Deportation of Two Turkmen Bloggers

A Turkish court in the city of Samsun has ordered the deportation of two Turkmen bloggers, Alisher Sakhadov and Abdullah Orusov, despite their applications for international protection. The Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights reported that the court issued its ruling on June 13, 2025, and officially notified the men's lawyer on June 27. The court found both men to be residing in Turkey illegally and rejected their asylum claims. According to documents reviewed by their lawyer, the decisions in the two cases were nearly identical, with some sections reportedly copied verbatim. Sakhadov applied for protection in April 2023 but was later issued a permanent entry ban under Code G-82, which Turkish authorities assign to individuals deemed threats to national security. The court concluded that he faced no credible risk of mistreatment if returned to Turkmenistan. Orusov’s case followed a similar pattern. He applied for protection in July 2023 and received the same security designation. The court similarly ruled that his return would not expose him to torture or degrading treatment. Their legal team plans to appeal the ruling to Turkey’s Constitutional Court. Requests for the release of both men from deportation centers were denied on June 25 and 26. Alisher Sahatov is one of the most prominent Turkmen activists in Turkey. He became a well-known figure within the diaspora through his YouTube channel Erkin Garaýyş, where he highlighted the challenges faced by Turkmen migrants. Abdullah Orusov was also active on social media, where he regularly criticized the Turkmen authorities. His posts often resonated widely among migrants and human rights advocates. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, another Turkmen activist, Dushemov, completed a four-year prison sentence in June 2025 but was transferred to a pre-trial detention center instead of being released. New charges were filed against him following an alleged altercation with another inmate. Dushemov and human rights organizations claim the case was fabricated to extend his detention, part of what they describe as a broader campaign of repression against government critics.