DUSHANBE, July 1, 2014, Asia-Plus – Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov today departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom, according to the Tajik MFA information department.
Tajik foreign minister is reportedly scheduled to hold talks with high-ranking British state officials to discuss issues related the state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Radio Liberty reported on June 27 that Sirojiddin Aslov will hold talks with British officials about the situation around Alexander Sodiqov, an academic researcher arrested in Tajikistan.
Alexander Sodiqov, 31, Tajik researcher contracted by the University of Exeter to help with a scholarly project, was detained in Khorog, the capital of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) on June 16 on suspicion of spying for an unnamed country after he met with local civil society activist Alim Sherzamonov.
A number of international human rights organizations issued statements expressing concern over Sodiqov”s detention and urging Tajik authorities to provide detailed and timely information about his situation.
