Deportation - The Times Of Central Asia

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Deportation

Turkish Authorities Move to Deport Turkmen Dissident Umida Bekchanova

On May 30, Turkmen citizen and outspoken critic of the Ashgabat regime, Umida Bekchanova was detained in Istanbul and now faces deportation to Turkmenistan. Detained Without Warning According to Turkmen.news, Bekchanova was seized by unidentified individuals in plain clothes and transferred to a deportation center in Turkey. The incident was later reported by opposition blogger Kalmurad Soyunov, who lives in Sweden, via his YouTube channel. Citing Bekchanova’s legal team, Soyunov claimed that the arrest was conducted with the involvement of Turkmen special services in cooperation with local Turkish authorities. Bekchanova resides in Turkey legally and has long been a vocal opponent of the Turkmen government. Her activism has led to reprisals against her family in Turkmenistan, including a criminal case against her younger son, whom she alleges was tortured with electric shocks during interrogation. He remains in custody. The activist has also received threats and significantly curtailed her public activity following the forced return of fellow dissidents Farhad Meymankuliev and Merdan Mukhamedov, as well as the detention of Alisher Sakhattov and Abdulla Orusov. Allegations of Entrapment Soyunov claims the operation to detain Bekchanova was premeditated and involved strategic deception. After Turkmen intelligence failed to locate her for months in Istanbul, a city of over 15 million people, they allegedly turned to subterfuge. In January, Bekchanova was informed by her bank that her card had been deactivated due to an expired visa, despite her visa being valid. Her sister-in-law, who had recently arrived in Turkey for work, was unknowingly used to reveal Bekchanova’s location. According to the report, men posing as police officers approached the residence and lured Bekchanova out. She was then detained, transported in a minibus, and held for four hours before being taken to a deportation facility. Attempted Emergency Deportation The timing of her detention on a Thursday was reportedly deliberate. “The calculation was that on Friday, lawyers and government offices would be closed, and with the weekend ahead, it would be the ideal moment to deport Umida before any intervention could occur,” Soyunov said. Similar tactics have been used in past deportations of Turkmen dissidents. By June 1, Bekchanova had reportedly been taken to the airport for extradition, without her identification documents. Her legal team is actively working to halt the deportation. Voice of Dissent Bekchanova began publicly criticizing the Turkmen authorities in 2020. Her activism was galvanized by a series of national crises, including the deaths of dozens of Turkmen migrants in Turkey purportedly from alcohol poisoning, the government’s concealment of the COVID-19 outbreak, and a devastating hurricane that went unreported in state media. Her current legal status and future in Turkey remain uncertain. Should the deportation proceed, Bekchanova may face severe risks in Turkmenistan, where her family has already suffered intimidation and abuse.

Illegal Immigration

Uzbekistan Leads Repatriation of Deported Citizens from the U.S.

A group of 131 individuals from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan were repatriated from the United States this week on a special charter flight, Fox News reports. The flight, organized and funded by the government of Uzbekistan, followed a bilateral agreement with U.S. authorities and reflects expanding cooperation between the two countries on migration and security issues. Departing the U.S. on April 30, the flight primarily carried Uzbek nationals who had been living in the United States without legal status. According to the agreement, Uzbek citizens were transported to Tashkent, while those from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are expected to continue on to their respective home countries. U.S. officials welcomed Uzbekistan’s role in facilitating the repatriation. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem expressed appreciation for the initiative. “We commend Uzbekistan for sending a flight to return 131 illegal aliens back to their home country,” she said. “This shows the strong security ties between our countries.” Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the repatriation was conducted in accordance with international standards and aimed to protect the rights of Uzbek citizens in difficult legal and humanitarian situations abroad. Most of those returned had overstayed their visas or were found in violation of U.S. immigration laws. The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington, D.C., and the Consulate General in New York played key roles in organizing the repatriation process. Both diplomatic missions maintained close coordination with U.S. immigration authorities and provided support to citizens throughout their return journey. This was not Uzbekistan’s first such operation. Earlier this year, the country repatriated seven citizens from the United States to Tashkent after preventing their transfer to Costa Rica. That effort also followed high-level consultations between officials from both governments. With a population exceeding 37 million, Uzbekistan continues to enhance its collaboration with the United States on migration management, repatriation procedures, and broader regional security cooperation.

Migrants

U.S. Deports Over 100 Central Asian Migrants on Uzbek Charter Flight

More than 100 people from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan who were illegally in the United States have been deported on a charter flight organized by the Uzbek government, the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent said on Thursday. The operation, which happened on Wednesday, was “the first in which a U.S. partner proactively provided a dedicated flight to repatriate its citizens” and underscores collaboration on issues such as counterterrorism and law enforcement, according to the embassy. “By organizing and funding the removal of its citizens present illegally in the United States and allowing the removal of nationals from other countries on Uzbek flights, Uzbekistan demonstrated its role as a trusted and proactive partner in the realm of international security,” it said. The embassy statement did not provide details on the people who were deported. U.S. President Donald Trump had campaigned on the promise of the mass deportation of migrants that he said were in the country without permission, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement has carried out deportations in line with that pledge since he took office for a second term in January. The speed and severity of the crackdown have alarmed advocates who have argued in court that the U.S. administration is denying due process to some migrants. U.S. relations with some of its traditional allies, including Canada and European countries, have frayed since Trump took office. But Uzbekistan and several other Central Asian countries appear to have maintained a relatively harmonious dialogue with the Trump administration while also collaborating with regional powers Russia and China. On April 9, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov met in Washington to discuss investment, critical minerals and security matters. Rubio “thanked Uzbekistan for their efforts to facilitate the return of their deportees from the United States,” the U.S. State Department said. U.S. plans for mass deportations have been a source of concern for Central Asian communities in the United States. This month, Kazakhstan urged any of its citizens who are subject to a U.S. deportation order but remain in the United States to voluntarily return home by using a U.S. Department of Homeland Security mobile app. The Kazakh Embassy in Washington urged those nationals to do so in order “to prevent possible negative consequences” such as fines, a ban on re-entry to the United States and other penalties. In January, Kyrgyzstan warned its citizens to follow U.S. immigration law and always carry relevant documents with them.

Consent

In Türkiye, Uzbek Man Faces Deportation After Photographing Woman Without Consent

An Uzbek man who photographed a Turkish woman in the Istanbul metro without her permission is in the process of being deported. Uzbekistan’s consulate in Istanbul said on Thursday that the man was arrested on April 13 after taking “unauthorized” photos of the woman, who then reported the alleged violation of her privacy to law enforcement authorities. The man’s work permit was revoked and he is being subjected to “forced deportation measures,” said the consulate, which intervened in order to prevent a criminal investigation. “According to Turkish law, photographing or videotaping another person, especially women, without their consent is strictly prohibited and may result in criminal prosecution,” the consulate said. It urged Uzbek citizens to follow local laws and said photographing or recording video of “strangers without their permission or causing them discomfort may result in serious action being taken against you.” Article 134 of Türkiye´s penal code provides for a punishment of up to several years in prison for violating the privacy of another person, including by disseminating images and sounds related to the personal life of the affected individual. ER&GUN&ER, an Istanbul-based law firm, says the country has “robust” laws to address privacy violations in the digital environment. It refers to a 2011 sex tape case and a 2016 political party data breach as high-profile cases involving such violations. “Taking pictures itself is not illegal in Turkey, but there are specific regulations that must be observed,” says Manolya Travel Agency, which is based in Istanbul. “While taking pictures, it is crucial to respect the privacy of individuals and refrain from capturing images of people without their explicit permission. This rule applies regardless of whether the person in the camera frame is a Turkish citizen or a foreign tourist.”

Immigration

Turkmenistan’s Security Services Interrogate Citizens Deported from the U.S.

Citizens deported from the United States arrived in Turkmenistan in the first half of February. They were transported on a flight alongside migrants from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. After landing in Ashgabat, where 40 Turkmen citizens disembarked, the plane continued on to Tashkent. Upon arrival, all deportees were sent to their places of permanent residence, where they were interrogated by officers from the Ministry of National Security (MNS). Among the group were 13 individuals who had previously applied for asylum in the U.S. Intelligence officers are reportedly scrutinizing these individuals to determine whether they made negative statements about Turkmenistan while seeking refugee status. As a result, they are being summoned for questioning more frequently than those who were in the U.S. illegally. Also among the deportees were children of high-ranking officials at both regional and state levels. Many had previously studied at Ukrainian universities before obtaining U.S. visas and traveling abroad. According to journalists from Chronicles of Turkmenistan, a married couple was also among those deported. While no arrests have been reported, all returnees continue to be regularly summoned for questioning.

United States

Seven Uzbeks Deported from the U.S. Arrive in Tashkent

Uzbekistan has been in contact with Latin American governments and U.S. authorities regarding the deportation of its citizens from the United States, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahror Burhonov confirmed. Uzbek Citizens Returned from the U.S. Seven Uzbek nationals, who were initially set to be deported to Costa Rica, have been repatriated to Uzbekistan following negotiations with U.S. officials. “As a result of talks with the U.S., seven of our citizens, who were scheduled to be sent to Costa Rica but wished to return home, arrived in Uzbekistan on February 24 on a New York-Tashkent flight,” Burhonov announced on his Telegram channel. U.S. Deportation of Migrants The Times of Central Asia previously reported that 200 migrants from Central Asia and India were among those slated for deportation to Costa Rica as part of U.S. immigration enforcement measures. Additionally, a U.S. Air Force flight recently transported deportees from multiple countries, including Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, to Panama. Two more deportation flights are expected, bringing the total number of deportees to 360.