DUSHANBE, July 23, 2014, Asia-Plus – Alexander Sodiqov has been released from the pretrial detention center of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS).
Alexander told Asia-Plus by phone that he was released on July 22 on his own recognizance.
Investigation is under way and Alexander hopes that the law enforcement authorities will ascertain all facts of the case.
We will recall that Alexander Sodiqov, Tajik researcher contracted by the University of Exeter to help with a scholarly project, was detained in Khorog on June 16 on suspicion of spying for an unnamed country after he met with local civil society activist Alim Sherzamonov.
The SCNS press center announced on June 20 that criminal proceedings have been instituted against Alexander Sodiqov and he was taken into custody on June 19 following ruling handed down by a court in Dushanbe’s Ismoili Somoni district.
Amnesty International, Freedom House, and Human Rights Watch have issued statements expressing concern over Sodiqov”s detention and urging Tajik authorities to provide detailed and timely information about his situation.
