Tadjik Ex-Footballer Tursunov Expelled From Belarus

Parviz Tursunov applied for political asylum in Belarus.

Tajik ex-footballer Parviz Tursunov has been expelled from Belarus, Radio Liberty reports.

43-year-old citizen of Tajikistan Parviz Tursunov was detained at the National Airport on September 18, 2018. He flew to Minsk with his family from Ukraine, was going to take a train to Brest, then apply for political asylum in Poland. The Belarusian law enforcement authorities called the reason for the arrest that Tursunov was in the CIS international wanted list at the request of the Tajik authorities.

Tursunov was detained, he spent more than two months first in the Valadarski street remand prison, then in the Akrestsina Street detention center. During this time, Tajikistan sent a request for deportation to Belarus, and Tursunov, in turn, asked Belarus for political asylum. In the end, the prosecutor's office considered that there was no reason to extradite the former footballer toTajikistan. On November 28, Tursunov was sent from Belarus to Kyiv, from where he flew to Minsk over two months ago.

“I have no complaints about the Belarusian authorities. They acted in accordance with the CIS international agreements. When I flew to Belarus, I did not know that I was wanted by the CIS. I only knew that Interpol is not looking for me. Why didn't the Belarusian authorities extradite me to Tajikistan? As I explained, there was no reason for this. Therefore, I was released and sent to the country from where I flew to Belarus. I will no longer be able to come to you now, I have been banned from visiting Belarus for 10 years,” said Tursunov.

At home, Tursunov was one of the leading players of the team of the highest division of Tajikistan “Khair” (“Vahdat”), and also played in the capital city team “Guardia”. However, in 2011 he was disqualified for his beard, which he grew out of religious beliefs.