At a news conference in Dushanbe on July 24, Habibullo Nazarzoda, the director of the Civil Aviation Agency, disclosed that 3,400 Tajik migrant workers have been turned back from Russian airports and returned to Tajikistan in the first six months of this year.
Nazarzoda reported that these Tajik citizens were denied entry into Russia due to alleged issues with their documentation. The agency is working to address these concerns and ensure that the necessary measures are taken to prevent further incidents.
The situation for Tajik migrant workers in Russia has steadily worsened in recent years, particularly since the onset of Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine in February 2022. The pressure on these workers has intensified further following the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall.
In late March, Russian police conducted mass raids in several cities targeting areas where migrants reside. In St. Petersburg alone, courts ordered the deportation of over 400 migrants.
In early June, tightened passport controls left more than 30 Tajik nationals stranded at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport, nearly three months after the Crocus City Hall attack. Some of the stranded Tajiks reported that Russian security officials barred their entry, citing that “Tajiks cause problems in Russia.”
Russia is home to millions of migrant workers from Central Asia, predominantly from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. These workers are employed across various sectors, including construction, street cleaning, retail, and the restaurant industry.
Following the recent terrorist attack, there has been a surge in xenophobic remarks and attacks, prompting some migrant workers to return to their home countries.
