The expulsion of 100 Tajik migrants is part of Moscow's response to the jailing of Russian pilot Vladimir Sadovnichy for 8.5 years by a court in Tajikistan, RIA Novosti reports.
Director of the Federal Migration Service Constantine Romodanovsky said that 100 migrants that had committed crimes had been expelled. 134 more were detained in Moscow on Thursday for violations.
Sadovnichy and his Estonian counterpart Alexey Rudenko were sentenced to 8.5 years of prison last week for smuggling, illegal border crossing and flight violations.
Sadovnichy and Rudenko piloted two An-72s with food and humanitarian aid in Afghanistan in March 2011. They departed from Kabul to Kurgan-Tube with permission to cross Tajikistan. Towerman of the Tajikaeronavigatsiya said that there was no permission. The pilots were arrested at Kurgan-Tube.
Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan arrived in Moscow on Friday. He had a meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to discuss release of pilots, diplomatic spokesman Vladimir Vaniyev said.
