DUSHANBE, January 22, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Minister of Interiors Abdurahim Qahhorov revealed on January 20 that Tajikistan received the bodies of 784 of its citizens from Russia last year, which is 103 cases more than in 2008.  According to him, ninety-six of them were killed.

The minister noted that migration services of Tajikistan and Russia are currently considering the issue of imposing expenses connected with transportation of the bodies on employers.  “However, the problem is that the majority of our labor migrants are working in Russia illegally,” Qahhorov said.

He noted that last year, only 15,500 Tajiks were placed in jobs in Russia legally, while according to even official data, some 700,000 Tajik labor migrants are currently working in the Russian Federation.

In the meantime, Shodmonbek Rajabov, chief of the Interior Ministry staff, told Asia-Plus that the bodies of six Tajik nationals were returned from Russia on January 20.  The listed causes of death were murder (1), disease (3) and accident (2), Rajabov noted.