In Yakutia, a native of Tajikistan has been detained on charges of murder

An 18-year-old native of Tajikistan has been detained in the Republic of Sakha. He is suspected of murdering a local resident.

According to media reports, in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia, an 18-year-old ethnic Tajik, who holds Russian citizenship, has been detained on suspicion of murdering a 26-year-old local resident.

The incident occurred on January 24 in Yakutsk. According to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the murder happened due to a conflict in the “Myata” nightclub. In the club, the 18-year-old native of Tajikistan had a dispute with a 23-year-old native of the Namsky District.

The clarification of relations continued the next day, when the Yakut, along with friends, went to his opponent’s home. A fight broke out there, resulting in the death of the 26-year-old young man.

After this, local residents in Yakutia rebelled and took to the streets in protests. Mass unauthorized rallies began in the republic, with hundreds of people in Yakutsk demanding punishment for the guilty party, tightening migration legislation, and increasing control over migrants.

The gathered individuals asked, “We haven’t bothered them. Why do they behave like this?”.

In response, Deputy Head of the Police for Public Order Protection Oleg Lebed explained that the suspect had been detained and asked the protesters to disperse.

“The murderer has been detained. He is a citizen of Russia just like you. We caught him; there will be an investigation. Guys, why are you gathered here?” he stated.

After this, several protesters were detained. Some fled from the security forces across the roadway, as noted in the report.

The suspect, Muhammad Odinaev, has been placed under arrest for two months. Odinaev himself claimed that it was self-defense.

After the protests, most migrants in Yakutsk did not go to work.

This is not the first case of protests against migrants in Yakutia.

Earlier, in March 2019, reports that a 17-year-old resident of Yakutsk became a victim of rape, with natives of Kyrgyzstan suspected of the crime, provoked an impromptu protest against migrants. It was reported that after this, foreign workers, including taxi drivers and vendors at the Kraystiansky Market in Yakutsk, did not go to work.