Uzbekistan frees 11 illegal Afghan migrants

Pajhwak Afghan News February 26 Uzbekistan has released 11 Afghan nationals detained for illegal entry into the neighbouring country, officials said on Saturday. The Border police chief at Hairatan Port, Juma Guldi, told Pajhwok Afghan News the freed Afghans were residents of Shortipa district of the northern Balkh province. A year ago, Guldi recalled, they had sailed across the Amo River into Uzbekistan without legal documents. The men were freed on Friday after several requests from Hairatan port officials, he added. Under the relevant Uzbek law, illegal aliens were generally sentenced to five-seven years in jail, the border police chief continued. The returnees confessed to illegal entry into Uzbekistan, saying they had gone there in search of jobs. One of the released men, 30-year-old Igum Birdi argued: "As there were no employment opportunities here, I stole into Uzbekistan." Most of the men sailed through the Amo River in boats. Allah Birdi, 23, observed: "We are very happy over our release; they behaved well with us." The detainees were kept in separate cells and thus could not say how many Afghans were languishing in Uzbek jails. Despite hectic efforts, Pajhwok Afghan News could not reach Uzbek consulate officials in Mazar-i-Sharif to ascertain the exact number of Afghans held in Uzbek prisons.