Russian officials detained five residents of Yazgulom jamoat (village community, which is he third-level administrative divisions, similar to communes or municipalities) in Vanj district of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) and extradited them to Tajikistan, where they were charged with "membership in an extremist organization," a source close to Tajik law enforcement authorities told Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, on June 17.
All of them are residents of Andabag village. They were reportedly detained in Russia in late May and extradited to Tajikistan last week.
Radio Ozodi has chosen not to disclose the names of the five, who were arrested in Russia in late May. The source spoke on condition of anonymity.
This months, this is already the second case of extradition of Yazgulamis from Russia to Tajikistan. Interlocutors of Radio Ozodi said that four Yazgulamis were extradited from St. Petersburg to Tajikistan in early June.
On May 16, Tajik security forces reportedly arrested more than 30 residents of Yazgulom jamoat, accusing them of plotting unspecified sabotage.
Sources told Radio Ozodi at the time that those arrested were suspected of having links with "extremist groups" in neighboring Afghanistan.
