Tajik Authorities Transfer Hundreds of Afghan Families to Dushanbe Camp Following Criminal Arrest

Tajik authorities have transferred approximately 250 Afghan families to a holding camp in Dushanbe following the arrest of an Afghan national in connection with a homicide. The operation began after police detained a 22-year-old Afghan man in the Jabbor Rasulov district, who is accused of fatally stabbing a 27-year-old Tajik woman with a kitchen knife. Tajikistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed the criminal investigation into the killing.

In the days following the arrest, Afghan migrants report that law enforcement intensified operations across the region. According to affected individuals, police conducted forced detentions and relocated families to a camp outside the capital. Migrants allege that officers restricted them from collecting personal belongings during the transfers. Several individuals stated they were detained despite possessing valid United Nations refugee documentation, commonly referred to as "red cards."

While the Interior Ministry has publicly acknowledged the murder case, officials have not issued a formal statement regarding the scale of the reported transfers or the conditions at the Dushanbe facility. The allegations of broad detentions and the handling of documented refugees remain unconfirmed by state authorities.

Migrants currently held at the camp report facing uncertainty regarding their legal status and potential deportation. Community representatives have called for transparency from Tajik authorities regarding the criteria used for the detentions and the rights afforded to those holding international protection documents. The developments have drawn attention to the broader challenges faced by Afghan nationals residing in Central Asia amid shifting regional migration policies.