DUSHANBE, June 18, 2014, Asia-Plus — Professor Edward Schatz from the University of Toronto on June 17 wrote letters to Tajikistan’s ministries of foreign affairs and interiors regarding detention of Alexander Sodiqov in Khorog.
“I write you from the University of Toronto (Canada) with deep concern about Alexander Sodiqov. I am the supervisor for Mr. Sodiqov’s PhD dissertation. He studies full-time at the University of Toronto and has been residing in Toronto for several years.
“As you may have seen from media reports, Sodiqov was detained by security officials on June 16, 2014 in Khorog, Tajikistan. Sodiqov was in Tajikistan under a research contract with the University of Exeter (UK) to help with a scholarly project, when he was approached in the middle of an interview with a local civil society representative and then taken into custody. He has apparently not been in contact with lawyers, his colleagues, or his family.
“Sodiqov is married with a young daughter. He is also a very top PhD student—talented, hardworking, serious, fair-minded, and with a clear commitment to scholarly objectivity.
“His future as a scholar is limitless. As a professor of Central Asian studies, I can attest that Alexander is well positioned to become a key part of the next generation of scholars who work equally well with Central Asian as with non-Central Asian scholars.
“My colleagues and I are deeply concerned about the safety of Mr. Sodiqov and his family and encourage the authorities in Tajikistan to ensure full protection of Mr. Sodiqov”s and his family’s rights. Once again, he is a scholar with the brightest future and a key member of a new generation committed to the highest-quality scholarship and to good and productive relations between Tajikistan and the rest of the world.”
