The Tajik Embassy in Moscow says a special flight will be organized to repatriate Tajik nationals deported from Russia but who have been stranded there due to coronavirus crisis.
24 Tajik nationals who served their jail terms in penal colonies in the Russian Republic of Mordovia were released in April, but they could not return to Tajikistan due to the coronavirus outbreak. They have been placed in a special detention facility and they have gone on a hunger strike.
“We are aware of the situation with our nationals who have gone on a hunger strike in the detention facility in Mordovia. We are currently trying to get permission from the Russian authorities to organize a special flight to repatriate our nationals being held in Russian special detention facilities,” a source within the Tajik Embassy in Moscow told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to him, they are currently gathering information about Tajik nationals held in Russian special detention facilities.
“They will not be brought to Tajikistan by one of those eight charter flights organized to repatriate Tajik nationals stranded in Russia. For them, a special flight will be organized,” the source added.
As it had been reported earlier, starting from June 25, Tajik air carriers are operating eight charter flights to repatriate Tajik nationals stranded in the Russian Federation due coronavirus crisis.
Tajik national air carrier Tajik Air and Tajikistan’s privately owned air carrier Somon Air are operating four charter flights each to bring Tajik nationals from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg.
According to the Tajik Embassy in Moscow, the first charter flight that was operated on June 25 brought 216 Tajik nationals to Dushanbe from Moscow. The air ticket for the flight reportedly cost 300 euros and children between five and eleven received a 50% discount.
Recall, special commissions set up at the Tajik Embassy in Moscow and Tajik Consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Ufa are currently compiling lists of passengers for the charter flights. Priority is given to pregnant women, women with young children, elderly people, students and those who had traveled to Russia on official business and had been stranded there due to the coronavirus crisis.
Everyone else will have to wait for reopening of regular air service between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation.
Flights from and to Tajikistan were suspended on March 20 for the purpose of preventing the spreading of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to the country.
The Russian Federation suspended air services Air service with other countries on March 27.
Since late May, Tajikistan has organized several charter flights to repatriate its nationals who were unable to return home due to Covid19 crisis and closure of airports in both Tajikistan and the Russia.
