U of T student trapped in Tajikistan

Details: Published on Wednesday, 13 August 2014 14:00; Written by editor

U of T student Alex Sodiqov... is trapped in Tajikistan. Help us get him back to Canada.

Sign the petition

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Today marks the 60th day since University of Toronto student Alexander Sodiqov was arrested without charge in Tajikistan. After enduring a month of detention, Alex was released from imprisonment, but he remains unable to leave the country. We urgently need your help to get him back.

Alex is a PhD student at U of T and was conducting research on conflict prevention in his home country of Tajikistan when he was suddenly detained on June 16th. He remained in detention for more than a month, and his release is conditional on his remaining in the country.

Please sign my petition calling on the Tajik government to allow Alex to leave the country so that he may return to Canada to continue his studies, and asking the Canadian government to help.

Alex has lived Canada for the past three years. His daughter was born here, and she is a Canadian citizen. And while Alex is first and foremost a loving husband and father, as his PhD supervisor I can tell you he is also an accomplished scholar who has contributed greatly to Canada as a resident, student, and teacher.

That’s why I’m calling on the government of Tajikistan to allow Alex to return to Canada, and on the government of Canada to do everything in its power to secure Alex’s full release and safe return to Canada. Just last year, tens of thousands of people signed a similar Change.org petition that helped get Canadians John Greyson and Tarek Loubani back home after being imprisoned for weeks in Egypt. I’m sure that with enough public support we can get Alex home too.

We’re hopeful Alex and his family can be back in Canada soon -- Please add your voice to those calling for his unconditional release.

Thank you,

Edward Schatz

Associate Professor of Political Science

University of Toronto

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