An MMA fighter who was recently deported from the Russian Federation has been detained in his native Tajikistan on charges of inciting ethnic tension and insurrection.
Chorshanbe Chorshanbiev, a middleweight fighter with a 6-3 professional record, was deported last week from Russia after he was caught speeding by local police in Moscow. He was immediately taken into custody by Tajik authorities upon his arrival on Dec. 30, and has reportedly been charged with “inciting ethnic, racial, or religious hatred” as well as “public calls for violent change of the constitutional order.”
According to the Prosecutor General’s office, Chorshanbiev allegedly published “provocative” social media posts and was “engaged in inciting national and regional hatred,” as well as “inciting riots.