Maldivian student banned from leaving Uzbekistan for carrying a drone

A Maldivian student who went on a study tour is being held back in Samarkand, Uzbekistan with a travel ban having been ordered against them for being in possession of a drone.

A group of 15 students and 5 lecturers from Clique College travelled to Uzbekistan of April 23 on a study tour. Their flight to Uzbekistan had them transiting in Abu Dhabi.

The student who has been banned from travelling out of Uzbekistan told Mihaaru today that they had not been aware that they were not allowed to take drones in when travelling into the country. As an avid photographer, the student had travelled with both a drone and a DSLR camera. They said that they had faced no issues when entering the country while being in possession of these items.

"When I came here, they said nothing about the drone. While we were out sightseeing, and I was taking out the drone, a tour guide spotted me and told me that it was prohibited, and that it was not allowed to fly drones inside the country. Once I knew that, I left the drone packed without flying it. Even till our return flight, I did not capture any footage with the drone," the student said.

The student said that on April 30, they had gone to the airport for departure. While scanning their bags, the drone had been spotted, and questions had been raised about it. The drone, and its related footage, was taken and inspected.

Despite the drone not having been used in taking any footage in the country, Uzbekistan's authorities had confiscated the drone, as well as seized the students' passport.

The student said that while ten days have passed since, no assistance has been provided by the Maldivian government.

"Some forms were filled and statements were taken, then I was released. They inserted the [memory] card of the drone in a phone and looked through it but found nothing. And yet, I have now been here for ten days," they said.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, claims that they are looking into reports of an investigation being run into a Maldivian national by Uzbekistan authorities.

A lecturer of Clique College also remains in Uzbekistan, staying with the student against whom the travel ban is in effect.