Media Releases

U of T on Researchers at Risk and the detention of student Alexander Sodiqov

June 25, 2014

TORONTO, CANADA – The Uni­ver­si­ty of Toron­to will host a pan­el of experts, fea­tur­ing Chrys­tia Free­land (MP and author) and Ronald Deib­ert (Direc­tor of the Cit­i­zen Lab), to dis­cuss the recent deten­tion of Alexan­der Sodiqov. Since June 16th this year, Alexan­der Sodiqov, a young schol­ar and PhD stu­dent at the Uni­ver­si­ty of Toron­to, has been in the cus­tody of the secu­ri­ty ser­vices in Tajik­istan. The deten­tion incom­mu­ni­ca­do of a young schol­ar has gen­er­at­ed an inter­na­tion­al outcry—from stu­dents, from schol­ars, from uni­ver­si­ties, from human rights groups, and from for­eign gov­ern­ments.

In this glob­al dis­cus­sion, held in at least nine set­tings around the world, schol­ars con­sid­er not only the lat­est infor­ma­tion about Sodiqov’s deten­tion but also the broad­er impli­ca­tions for research schol­ars around the globe.

This event is free and open to the pub­lic. It will also be web­cast live at: http://hosting.epresence.tv/MUNK/1/live/285.aspx

WHAT: Researchers at Risk in Cen­tral Asia: The Deten­tion of Alexan­der Sodiqov

WHO:
Speak­ers: Ms. Chrys­tia Free­land (MP and Author); Pro­fes­sor Ronald Deib­ert (U of T); plus addi­tion­al schol­ars and peers of Alexan­der, TBA

Chair: Pro­fes­sor Edward Schatz (U of T)

WHERE: The Vivian and David Camp­bell Con­fer­ence Facil­i­ty Munk School of Glob­al Affairs — 1 Devon­shire Place

WHEN: Fri­day, June 27, 2014 (12PM to 2PM)

Addi­tion­al events are being held in this series around the world (tak­ing place June 26 – July 1, 2014) in Bishkek, Exeter, Lon­don, Astana, Wash­ing­ton, Paris, Freiburg, Hei­del­berg, and more.

-30-

For press inquiries or request for inter­views, please con­tact:

Edward Schatz
Pro­fes­sor, Uni­ver­si­ty of Toron­to
ed.schatz@utoronto.ca

Media Rela­tions
Uni­ver­si­ty of Toron­to
Tel: 416–978-0100
media.relations@utoronto.ca