One observation to add to Turkey's move to scrap visa-free travel for Tajiks not yet discussed that has serious implications: This is not the 1st time Turkey is doing this to #CentralAsian migrants. In 2022, at Ashgabat's request, Turkey scrapped visa-free travel for Turkmens (.)
https://twitter.com/TUmarov/status/1776492695273271677
By asking for this--something unprecedented as far as I have seen--Turkmenistan was aiming to increase its share of control over the lives of its citizens, essentially forcing all of them to return to Tkmn to renew passports. This had CATASTROPHIC results rferl.org/a/turkmenistan…
When I conducted research with Turkmen migrants & regime critics in 2023 I learned how this situation had left hundreds of thousands of Turkmens in extremely vulnerable circumstances, unable to return to repressive Turkmenistan & unable to legalize inside Turkey (cont'd)
This has pushed many Turkmens into statelessness, living on the margins of Turkish society; it has left Turkmen migrant women more vulnerable to sexual assault & exploitation, knowing that they cannot go seek help with the police. (cont'd)
I fear these consequences might await the Tajik migrant popl. in Turkey, afraid to return to an increasingly totalitarian #Tajikistan also unable to vindicate basic rights inside Turkey. This is a win for #transnationalrepression & not necessarily for countering violent extremism
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