Tajikistan's Minister of Education and Science, Rahim Saidzoda, has sent a letter to his Russian counterpart, Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov, following the tragic death of 10-year-old Tajik boy Qobiljon Aliyev at a school in Moscow oblast.
Saidzoda condemned the incident, calling it a "nationalist attack."
In his letter, Saidzoda urged Minister Kravtsov to ensure that the investigation into the incident is conducted thoroughly and in cooperation with the relevant authorities.
Saidzoda emphasized that "the rights and dignity of Tajik students must be protected in any educational institution."
"Such incidents can be exploited by radical extremist and nationalist groups to incite and encourage further crimes, which contradicts the fundamental values of humanism, mutual respect, and the principles of tolerance," Tajik minister added.
As a reminder, the 10-year-old Tajik boy, Qobiljon Aliyev, was stabbed to death at his school in by a 15-year-old ninth-grader identified as Timofey K on December 16. The assailant brought a knife to school and also attacked a security guard and other students before being apprehended by police.
Before the bloodshed began, Timofey K. approached a group of children and a teacher at the school and asked about their nationality. He recorded this exchange on his phone and later shared it on Telegram. When a security guard advanced, Timofey K doused him in pepper spray and stabbed the man before chasing Qobiljon Aliyev up the stairs and fatally wounding him.
Russian media have reported that the attack was likely motivated by xenophobia. Just before the incident, the suspect had shared a “manifesto” with other students — a neo-Nazi document titled "My Rage," in which he expressed hostility toward Jews, Muslims, anti-fascists, and liberals.
The Tajik government has publicly demanded an “immediate, objective, and impartial investigation” into the boy’s murder, calling it a crime motivated by national hatred.
