Whereabouts of man detained by Tajik authorities remain unknown
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 17 June 2014 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Whereabouts of man detained by Tajik authorities remain unknown, 17 June 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/53b2831012.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
June 17, 2014
By RFE/RL's Tajik Service
The whereabouts of a Tajik citizen from Canada, who was detained in the capital of Tajikistan's restive Gorno-Badakhshan province, Khorugh, on June 16, remain unknown.
On June 17, Tajikistan's State Committee for National Security said Aleksandr Sodikov had been detained in Khorugh on suspicion of spying for an unnamed country after he met with civil society activist Alim Sherzamonov.
Sherzamonov was one of the leaders of deadly May protests against police actions that targeted suspected criminals in Khorugh.
Sodikov, 31, said he has been touring several Tajik and Uzbek cities as part of doctoral research at the University of Toronto.
Later on June 17 some sources in Khorugh said Sodikov was released after investigators found out that his meetings in Khorugh were linked to his academic research.
However, Interior Ministry and State Committee for National Security neither confirmed nor rejected the information.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
