Friday, June 01, 2012 -
Five Tajik nationals serving prison terms in Afghanistan are refusing to return to Tajikistan, the Tajik interior ministry said on Friday.
The refusal of the inmates to return to their homeland is stalling a planned prisoner swap with Afghanistan, the ministry said. Approximately 97 Afghan nationals are waiting to return to Afghanistan to serve their jail sentences.
All the Afghan nationals involved in the proposed prisoner swap are serving sentences for violating immigration regulations and drug trafficking.
It is not immediately known why the five Tajik nationals are refusing to be repatriated, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported Friday.
However, the deal to swap prisoners will remain on hold as long as the Tajik prisoners demand to stay in Afghan prisons.
Afghan Ambassador to Tajikistan Abdulgafuri says that forcible return to Tajikistan is not an option.