Hundreds of citizens of Tajikistan deported to their homeland from Vnukovo Airport

According to the media group “Asia-Plus” on its Telegram channel, 643 citizens of Tajikistan have been deported from Vnukovo Airport in four days, reports Interfax.

From April 26 to 30, out of 3,101 citizens of Tajikistan who arrived at Vnukovo Airport – after being held for several days without appropriate conditions – Russian authorities deported 643 Tajiks, according to a statement citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the republic. A decision has also been made to deport another 117 citizens of Tajikistan. According to available information, the situation is also difficult at other Moscow airports.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan reported a phone conversation between the foreign ministers of Tajikistan and Russia, Sirojiddin Muhriddin and Sergey Lavrov. The conversation took place at the initiative of the Russian side on Tuesday, Interfax reports, citing the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Previously, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that delays in passport control for foreigners at the borders of the Russian Federation are temporary and occur regardless of the nationality of the entering individuals. Foreigners are being checked more thoroughly upon entry “due to the intensification of measures to prevent terrorism in Russia,” notes the agency Interfax.

On April 28, an official comment was published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan. It stated that as of the end of the day on April 27, “in the temporary detention zone of the international airport Vnukovo in the Russian capital, 954 citizens of Tajikistan are being held without proper sanitary conditions.” Among them are Tajik students. Out of the total number of Tajik citizens stranded at Vnukovo Airport, 322 individuals were allowed to enter the territory of the Russian Federation after hours of waiting.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, expressing “serious concern about cases of overtly negative attitudes towards citizens of Tajikistan on the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as widespread violations of their rights and freedoms,” handed a note of protest to the Russian ambassador in Dushanbe, Semen Grigoryev, on April 29.