DUSHANBE , June 23, Asia-Plus - 50 Uzbek citizens – students at Tajik State Teachers’ Training University – have been deported to Uzbekistan .  

Igor Sattarov, the head of the Tajik MFA Information Department, has told Asia-Plus that those citizens of the neighboring country were staying in Tajikistan illegally, without visas.  Besides, there were no stamps in their passports certifying that they passed through border control at the crossing on the Tajik-Uzbek border.   

“They are residents of border areas of Uzbekistan and they crossed the border, bypassing the border-crossing checkpoint,” said Mr. Sattarov, “As the students put their documents in order they may return to Tajikistan and continue studying.”

The MFA spokesman also stressed that in accordance with Tajikistan ’s legislation criminal proceedings could be instituted against those students for illegally crossing the border.