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.
