Nine teenage members of Kazakhstan’s tourist team detained in Uzbekistan are back home

Nine teens detained July 14 as part of the Kazakhstan’s tourist team in the neighboring Uzbekistan are safe at home, Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry spokesman Ilyas Omarov said July 30. July 14 at 14:30 a group of Kazakhstan’s tourists comprising 9 teens and 3 adults were taken under custody by the Uzbek border control officers nearby Ugam mountain range in Uzbekistan. The tourists might have wandered off the trail and accidentally stepped on the Uzbek soil. The group failed to get back home by July 20 as was originally planned. July 25 the Uzbek officials denied detaining any Kazakh tourists. However, later the Kazakh side learnt that the group had been taken into custody July 14. The teens were placed in a detention facility for minors. The Uzbek authorities refused to let the teens go until the parents paid a penalty of $550. The three adult team members are charged with illegally crossing the Uzbek border and bringing in firearms to Uzbekistan. According to Kazakhstan’s officials, on Monday Kazakhstan would proceed with the negotiations over the tourists’ return home.