DUSHANBE, June 17, 2014, Asia-Plus – Dr John Heathershaw from Exeter University, a scientific adviser of Alexander Sodiqov, who was detained in Tajikistan on charges of spying, has given an exclusive interview to Asia-Plus.
Q: Mr. Heathershaw, Tajik citizen Alexander Sodiqov, who is working with you on an academic research project, was detained in Khorog on June 16. In an official statement released on June 17, Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) charged him with spying and carrying out subversive activities. How can you comment on this situation?
A:
I am researcher and Alexander has been working with me on the project to study ways and methods for resolving conflicts. He has a contract with Exeter University, which proves that he is carrying out research work for the University but not for the British Government.
Q: Who are you, Mr. Heathershaw? What are you doing in Tajikistan? What does your project consist in?
A:
I am political scientist and over the last eleven years, I have studied examples of successful settlement of conflicts in Tajikistan. I have been many times in Tajikistan and I never had problems with the government or law enforcement authorities of Tajikistan. The theme of my current project is to study the experience of successful management of conflict after crisis in Khorog.
Q: How did you meet Alexander Sodiqov? Are you familiar with his research work doing at the University of Toronto?
A:
I met Alexander in Tajikistan ten years ago. He is currently doing PhD at the University of Toronto and I am familiar well with his thesis, which is not yet completed.
Q: The SCNS statement says that Alexander on June 10 met in Dushanbe with a certain researcher, who is engaged in intelligence activities in Tajikistan and received concrete task from him. Is it you? What kind of task did you assign to him?
A:
Exeter University is paying him for research work he is doing under the contract. I will present you a copy of this contract. We met in Dushanbe on June 11. We just discussed details of his research work and he did not receive any additional instructions from me. We have carried out research work on this project in Kyrgyzstan as well.
Q: How do you intend to react to the situation you colleague found himself in?
A:
I was shocked and disappointed to know about detention of Alexander and charges brought against him. I can confirm that he is working on the research project under the contract with Exert University and he never carried out subversive activities. I am deeply upset about what has happened and knowing that Alexander has family and little daughter, who are very worrying now, I would like to assure that Alexander has never been involved in anything illegal. I hope that all this mere misunderstanding and he will return home soon.
Dr. John Heathershaw is Senior Lecturer in International Relations with interests in two fields: Central Asian studies, including the former Soviet republics and Afghanistan; Peace and Conflict Studies, including the interdisciplinary study of the politics of conflict, security and political development. At Exeter, He is part of the faculty of the Center for Advanced International Studies and an associate fellow of the Exeter Center for Ethno-political Studies (EXCEPS), and a convener of the Exeter Central Asian Studies (ExCAS) research group.
We will recall that Tajikistan”s State Committee for National Security says Alexander Sodiqov has been detained on charges of spying for an unnamed country.
Tajik national security officers detained Sodiqov on June 16 in Khorog, the capital of restive Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), while he was meeting with local civil society activist Alim Sherzamonov.
A Tajikistan native, Alexander Sodiqov is reportedly doing a PhD in Comparative Politics at the University of Toronto (Canada). He received an undergraduate degree in International Relations from the Russian-Tajik Slavonic University (RTSU) in Dushanbe, and a Master’s degree in Conflict, Development and Security from the University of Leeds, UK. Sodiqov has worked for local NGOs, the OSCE, and the UN in Tajikistan, and also taught at the RTSU.
