DUSHANBE, June 18, 2014, Asia-Plus – A group of Tajik students studying abroad today released an open letter to Saymumin Yatimov, Chairman of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), in which they express concern about Alexander Sodiqov, who was detained by security officials in Khorog, the capital of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) on June 16, 2014.
The letter, in particular, notes that the fact that Alexander Sodiqov’s academic work, aimed at studying positive experience of Central Asia’s nations in resolving conflicts, was considered by Tajik law enforcement authorities as spying for another country evokes serious concern.
The letter authors say that the process of building an open democratic society also means a free exchange of ideas, information and knowledge. Such an exchange is impossible without participation of representatives from scientific circles such as Tajik national Alexander Sodiqov.
“Detention of Alexander Sodiqov makes us — students and young researchers — feel ourselves unprotected and vulnerable,” the letter says.
The letter authors call on Tajik law enforcement authorities to inform the public about the fate of Alexander Sodiqov and take measures to free him.
The whereabouts of Alexander Sodiqov, Tajik researcher contracted by the University of Exeter to help with a scholarly project, who was detained in Khorog on June 16, still remain unknown.
On June 17, the SCNS said Alexander Sodiqov had been detained in Khorog on suspicion of spying for an unnamed country after he met with civil society activist Alim Sherzamonov.
Later on June 17 some sources in Khorog said Sodiqov was released after investigators found out that his meetings in Khorog were linked to his academic research. However, Interior Ministry and the SCNS neither confirmed nor rejected the information.
