Global Voices » Tajikistan

Russia and Tajikistan: Pilots Sentenced and Migrants Deported

Daniel Alan Kennedy — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:14:08 +0000

This story began in March 2011, when the crews of two Antonov An-72 planes owned by the airliner Rolkan Investmens [sic] Ltd were arrested in Qurghonteppa, Tajikistan. The planes had arrived from Kabul, Afghanistan. Both planes and their crews were inspected without incident by the customs and border services of Tajikistan. However, later all eight members of the crews were detained by representatives of the republic's Committee on National Security and placed under arrest.

One month later, the captains of the aircraft were indicted and the remaining members of the crews were released. The trial of the pilots began in mid-October, 2011.

Sentencing the Russian pilots

On November 8, 2011, both pilots, Vladimir Sadovnichy (a Russian) and Aleksei Rudenko (a citizen of Estonia) were found guilty of smuggling contraband airplane parts, violating the norms of international air travel, and illegally crossing the border. The court sentenced them each to 10.5 years in a maximum security facility. The sentence was reduced to 8.5 years for each pilot on the basis of a law on amnesties for those convicted. Both Antonov An-72s and a jet engine were confiscated for government use.

According to [ru] a representative of Rolkan Invesmens Ltd, Viktor Pfefer, “a half disassembled engine, which was located amongst the pilots' belongings and was declared [by Tajikistan] to be contraband, could be considered such if it was unloaded on the territory of Tajikistan, but it was not”.

Tajiks: Russia's new enemies?

The reaction from Russia's side was immediately forthcoming. After the Ministry of Internal Affairs failed to solve the problem through unofficial channels, the authorities decided to change tactics. As the website of [the pro-Kremlin Youth Group] “Molodaya Gvardiya” reports [ru], on November 12, activists from the group picketed the embassy and consulate of Tajikstan in Moscow.

Picketing by the movement "Molodaya Gvardiya" at the embassy of Tajikistan in Moscow. The sign reads "Don't bite the hand that feeds you". Photo taken from the movement's website.

Moreover, two days after the guilty verdict, representatives of the Federal Migration Service announced [ru] the arrests of 300 illegal Tajiks whom they planned to deport. However President Dmitri Medvedev refuted claims that a “revenge campaign” was being carried out, stating [ru] that “citizens who break the law must be deported from the country”. Many raised the question of why this hadn't been done earlier. After all, it's not as if illegal immigrants only became a problem yesterday.

Whats more, the Russian authorities justified the deportation of the Tajiks by declaring [ru] the common incidence of Tuberculosis and HIV in migrants from Tajikistan. In total 300 Tajiks were detained in Moscow over the course of three days. The Internet community discussed the massive campaign against immigrants from Tajikistan. Internet users let touches of xenophobia slip in their commentary, such as proposals to introduce a visa regime with Tajikistan, or to indiscriminately deport all Tajiks. All the same, there was criticism [ru] directed at Russia.

наблюдатель

Какая “молодчина” Россия - выгораживает своих. Но, когда так же поступили в Узбекистане в Корепановым, в США с Бутом - душонки не хватило их защищать? […] Стало очевидно: Москва боится сильных стран, и предпочитает не замечать проблему.

Rahmon

Россия ведет себя как истеричная женщина. То все ок, то все из рук вон плохо. Эти горе пилоты сидели шесть месяцев, никого это не волновало, и вдруг такая шумиха.

Nablyudatel'

Good on you Russia, for looking after your own. But when the same thing happened in Uzbekistan with [Yuri] Korepanov or in the US with [Viktor] Bout did you lack the spirit to defend them?[…] It's become obvious: Moscow fears powerful countries and prefers not to draw attention to the problem.

Rahmon

Russia is behaving like a hysterical woman. One second everything is fine and the next everything is hellishly bad. These poor pilots were in prison for six months and no one carred, but now suddenly there's all this commotion

Some bloggers say Russia is using the same problem-solving methods it once used with Georgia or with Ukraine during the Yushchenko period: firstly the indignity of “the blatant disregard for international norms” and then the undertaking of “disproportionate” measures.

There is a connection to be found in these events with the upcoming elections. The editor of Ferghana, Daniil Kislov commented on the action of the action on his personal blog on radio station Ekho Moskvy's site [ru]:

Еще отвратительнее то, что отчеты о массовой депортации подозрительно смахивают на заигрывание с ксенофобски настроенной публикой в рамках начавшейся предвыборной кампании.

What's even more disgusting is that the reports of mass deportations are suspiciously mixed up with attempts to woo the xenophobically inclined public as part of the pre-election campaign.

Inter-user Dilshod went even further in his observations and wrote that he wouldn't be surprised if “Rahmonid [President of Tajikistan Emomalii Rahmon] turned out to be the co-director of this farce, entitled “Saving Private Sadovnichy”.

Economic analyst Boris Grozovsky doesn't agree that the deportations of Tajiks are somehow connected with the pre-election campaign, but reckons [ru] that the Russian authorities have used one of the most amoral means of responding to Tajikistan's actions, despite the existence in world politics of “a wide arsenal of responding to stupid actions undertaken by another state”.

Hidden motives

There are at least two other supposed reasons for the scandal around the pilots and the deportation of the Tajiks. According to the first version, proposed by the analyst Innokent Adyasov, by sentencing the pilots Tajikistan is attempting to “make Russia reconsider its position on the construction of the Rogun Dam, a pet project of Emomalii Rahmon”.

According to the second version, published in Izvestiya [ru], “the pilots became the hostages of ‘international raiders' and shady deals, which the owners of the airline used for tax evasion”.

As things stand, the real reasons behind the scandal can only be guessed at by most of society. However, the uproar around the “pilots' affair” has played into the hands of these same pilots: on November 16, a press release [ru] was issued in which the procurator of Tajikistan's Khatlon Province criticised the sentence handed down to the pilots, calling it disproportionately severe. And once again there appeared signs of interference from forces within: firstly the state prosecutor asked the court to increase the sentence to 13 years and then the procurator adopted the position of his coworker.

It is still not yet clear how this story will end. Never-the-less, one would like to hope that it will not end up impacting on either imprisoned pilots or the disenfranchised Tajik immigrants.

Russia: Nationalist slogans get spread

Ekaterina — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 08:48:35 +0000

Fergananews writes [ru] on popularity of Russian nationalist slogans against immigrants from Central Asia amidst the looming parliamentary elections: “25 percent of high school students approve of nationalist actions of their classmates.”

Tajikistan: Bloggers compare the two U.S. State Secretaries' visits

Adil Nurmakov — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:15:43 +0000

Tajik civil society and journalists debate the two Secretaries of State’s visits to Tajikistan in 2005 and 2011, neweurasia’s Alpharabius reports.

Tajikistan: The Russian pilot scandal is getting spinned

Adil Nurmakov — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:10:18 +0000

As two Russian pilots have been sentenced in Tajikistan, prompting a huge backlash from Russia’s political class, Alpharabius reviews the situation with little research about the pilots’ mysterious employers.

Global Voices Russian Partners With Neweurasia.net

Ekaterina — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:12:03 +0000

We are pleased to announce partnership of Global Voices in Russian with Neweurasia.net, one of the most prominent citizen media platforms in Central Asia and about Central Asia, which has a large Russian and English speaking audience.

Neweurasia focuses on news and analysis generated by young people from the ground. The site casts light upon under-reported issues and provides a space for young, bright minds to make themselves heard. It was created back in 2005, when several online activists joined forces to develop a platform for blogs with low editing needs and quick, direct publishing.

It is worth mentioning of course, that one of the platform founders was also Global Voices author Ben Paarman. Today, the site has an extensive network of bloggers from five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), who all share amazing stories of lives, achievements and challenges in their countries.

Taking all this into account, the partnership of Global Voices and Neweurasia.net is a logical step, given the activities of the two communities and their similar goals. We are very excited to start our cooperation with one of the most amazing and popular citizen media platforms about Central Asian region.

We started with exchanging our logos. You might have already seen the Neweurasia logo on the Global Voices Russian site and our logo is placed on the Russian version of Neweurasia, which means that Global Voices will be more accessible for a Russian speaking audience. Both sides are open-minded and do not exclude other forms of partnership in the future.

We are grateful to the people who worked hard to make the cooperation possible. So, we owe a big “thank you” to Oliver Dams, project manager and technical manager of Neweurasia.net and one of the founders of the site, and Yelena Jetpyspaeva, social media officer of Neweurasia.net, for being receptive and open to new ideas.

Also, we would like to thank the team of Global Voices in Russian, authors and translators alike, for producing content and making the site interesting for Russian speakers.

Tajikistan: Face-saving sentence for the journalists

Adil Nurmakov — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 03:56:52 +0000

Journalists Muhammad Yusuf Ismailov and Urunboy Usmonov have been found guilty, but with very commuted sentences following the international pressure on the Tajik authorities, neweurasia’s Alpharabius reports.

Tajikistan: The country in its 20

Adil Nurmakov — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 09:58:52 +0000

Christian Bleuer is analyzing the newest history of Tajikistan - both its internal politics and its geopolitical stand - as this country marks the 20th anniversary of its independence.

Tajikistan: Rahmon becomes Leader of XXI Century awardee — but who is awarding?

Adil Nurmakov — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:59:16 +0000

Abulfazal informs that Tajikistan president Emamoli Rahmon was awarded with the “Leader of XXI Century” prize for his cultural and political distinctions by the European Council on International Relations, barely known for its activities.

Tajikistan: Minors prohibited from visiting places of religious worship

Adil Nurmakov — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:46:25 +0000

Avicenna says that minors in Tajikistan are prohibited from going to mosques, churches and sinagogues, as the parliament have unanimously approved a bill “On the responsibility of parents for their children’s upbringing and education”.

Tajikistan: The BBC reporter released

Adil Nurmakov — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 06:06:35 +0000

The Tajikistan authorities have released BBC journalist Urunboy Usmonov from custody. “The international community’s appeal have been heard”, writes Tomyris.

Tajikistan: A BBC journalist arrested

Adil Nurmakov — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 06:39:40 +0000

Tomyris says that Urinboy Usmonov, longtime local journalist for BBC Central Asian Service, was arrested in Tajikistan for suspicion membership in the Islamic Movement Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Tajikistan: Women between a rock and a hard place

Adil Nurmakov — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:27:24 +0000

Christya Riedel writes about gender issues in Tajikistan and about difficulties that women are facing there - rules for weddings, violence, denied property rights after a divorce.

Central Asia: “Cyber Chaikhana,” Book Written by Bloggers

Alexey Sidorenko — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:29:34 +0000

“Cyber Chaikhana” is a book project about Central Asian bloggers and their perceptions of their region, culture and everyday life. Edited by Christopher Schwartz and published by HIVOS, the book is a collection of narratives written by the bloggers at NewEurasia.net, the Central Asian blogging network.

The aim of the project is to reach out to both the Central Asian (Russian speaking) and global audiences; both Russian and English language versions of the book will be published.

The name of the book, chaikhana, means “a teahouse.” Christopher Schwartz explains the philosophy of the title and the book:

Cyber Chaikhana, at Bar Camp Central Asia, photo by Alexey Sidorenko

As you all know from experience, the teahouse is a centre of community life in Central Asia. In the teahouse, all subjects, from politics to religion to backgammon strategy to the fashion sense of a local politician, are energetically discussed over cups of hot sugar tea.In NewEurasia’s “cyber chaihkana” our webloggers come together over keyboards rather than tea, but the results are greater in scale: whereas the traditional chaikhana is local, the Internet is a teahouse encompassing the region.

The Russian version of Cyber Chaikhana was presented at the BarCamp Central Asia 2011, an Almaty-based IT event. In a short interview with Global Voices, Christopher Schwartz explains why bloggers' voices are important in discovering the region, and how online speech can combat orientalism:

Tajikistan: Russia raises petroleum prices

Adil Nurmakov — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:42:46 +0000

Christya Riedel reports that Russia has increased tariffs on oil and oil products exported to Tajikistan, putting the country's farmers at risk as they prepare for the spring planting season. Tajikistan receives 92.5% oil products from Russia.

Tajikistan: President’s Son Will Tackle Customs Crime

Adil Nurmakov — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:06:14 +0000

TajikVoice reports that the Tajik President’s son Rustam Emomali, 23, was appointed to a newly created government post within the Customs Agency to tackle contraband and customs violations.