Uzbekhistan women deported

JAKARTA: The directorate general of immigration of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights deported 10 Uzbekhistani women to their home country on Sunday for visa violations, a spokesman said.

Ade E. Dachlan, the immigration department' spokesman, said that the foreigners had worked as prostitutes in several high- profile night clubs in the city while holding a tourist visa.

According to Ade, some of the women had entered the city in November last year through Batam while some others were sponsored earlier this year by an entertainment businessman, who is currently being hunted by the police.

Currently, there are two Uzbekhistan women, identified as Anna and Olga, at the immigration detention center in North Jakarta. The women, one of whom is pregnant, are waiting to be deported pending funding from the Uzbekhistan Embassy in Jakarta.

The directorate general deported at least 40 Uzbekhistan women since 2003 for the same offense, which carries a three-year prison sentence. -- JP