Chairman of the Society of Tajiks in Novosibirsk, Minkhojiddin Karimov, has accused the Novosibirsk city legislature member Rostislav Antonov of inciting ethnic enmity.

Karimov says it is necessary to suppress provocations on the part of Rostislav Antonov. 

Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, says Karimov’s argument with Antonov began after the latter had criticized Karimov for his passive stance in the case of the murder of local 17-year-old girl by the national of Tajikistan.  

Antonov has called on the local authorities not to finance this organization uniting Tajiks.   

Meanwhile, Karimov says the Tajik Diaspora in Novosibirsk has not received any money from the Russian authorities and just participated in implementation of state programs, while all other Diaspora’s activities are funded by Tajiks living and working in Novosibirsk.  

In his interview with Radio Ozodi, Karimov condemned the crime committed by the Tajik national, but noted that it is not their responsibility to respond to this case, the investigation into which is still ongoing. 

Karimov said the he had met with relatives of the girl and apologized to the mother of the murdered.

He further added that was not the first time that Antonov tried incite ethnic hatred by such statements.  “In this way, he wants to attract more attention to himself – to promote due to a high-profile topic,” Karimov noted. 

As it had been reported earlier, the 27-year-old Tajik Khoushnoud Hamroyev killed his 17-year-old Russian girlfriend out of jealousy in late July.  He inflicted multiple stab wounds on her.    

Recall, the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), which is nothing of liberal but the main right-wing populist party in Russia, proposed in July 28 to toughen control over the stay of migrants in the country following that brutal killing in Novosibirsk.  

A statement posted on the LDPR’s official website says, “The tragedy that took place in Novosibirsk, where, according to media reports, a 27-year-old citizen of Tajikistan Khoushnoud Hamroyev out of jealousy stabbed his 17-year-old girlfriend to death, is another confirmation that the law on expulsion and prohibition of entry must be strictly enforced.”

In this regard, the LDPR will prepare proposals at the legislative level on tightening the rules on the forced expulsion of migrants and strengthening control over their staying in Russia. 

LDPR representatives also proposed to consider as part of public discussions introduction of mandatory quarterly drug testing for migrants, who are in Russia for more than 3 months, at the expense of the migrants themselves.