To: H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan 

Re: Appeal for a fair and transparent review of the case of Professor Iqboljon Qoraboyev 

Your Excellency,

We, the undersigned members of the international academic community, write to respectfully draw your attention to the case of Professor Iqboljon Qoraboyev, a citizen of Uzbekistan and, until his detention, a professor of international relations at Maqsut Narikbayev University in Astana.

Professor Qoraboyev was detained on 3 July 2026 on suspicion of espionage under Article 176 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He has now been held in custody for close to two months. To date, no public account of the specific factual basis for the charge has been made available, and, as reported by BBC News Uzbek and other outlets, even close colleagues have found it difficult to obtain reliable information about the proceedings against him.

We write not to comment on facts that we cannot independently verify, but out of concern for due process and academic freedom more broadly. Professor Qoraboyev is known within the International Relations and Central Asian studies community as a distinguished scholar, whose work has involved common academic activities — teaching, research collaboration, and participation in international academic networks and centres, such as UNU-CRIS (https://unu.edu/cris/about/expert/ikboljon-qoraboyev) and the Hague Research Institute (https://hagueresearch.org/board-of-advisors/ikboljon-qoraboyev/)

We are deeply concerned that the prolonged secrecy surrounding his case makes it difficult for his family, his colleagues, and the broader public to assess whether his fundamental rights - to a fair hearing, to legal representation of his choosing, and to humane conditions of detention - are being fully respected. 

We therefore respectfully request that Your Excellency's government:

1.    Ensure that Professor Qoraboyev has full and unimpeded access to independent legal counsel and, where applicable, consular assistance from the Republic of Uzbekistan;

2.    Ensure that any judicial proceedings in his case meet the standards of transparency and fairness to which Kazakhstan is committed under its Constitution and its international human rights obligations;

3.    Consider, consistent with the interests of justice, alternatives to prolonged pre-trial detention, such as house arrest, particularly given his family circumstances and his role as the sole provider for his young children, while ensuring he is permitted regular communication with his family;

4.    Permit an independent and timely review of the evidentiary basis for the charges, given the reputational and academic consequences of prolonged, unexplained detention for scholars engaged in legitimate international research.

5.    Ensure that, should the charges be found to be unsubstantiated upon an objective and independent review, Professor Qoraboyev is fully exonerated, his professional reputation restored, and he is reinstated to his academic position at Maqsut Narikbayev University.

Kazakhstan has in recent years built a strong reputation for expanding its universities' international partnerships and welcoming foreign scholars to its academic institutions. Furthermore, as a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and a dedicated partner in international academic agreements, Kazakhstan has consistently affirmed its commitment to academic freedom, scientific mobility, and the rule of law. We believe that a fair, transparent, and expeditious resolution of this case — whatever its outcome — would reinforce, rather than undermine, that reputation, and would reassure the international academic community that scholarly exchange with Kazakhstani institutions can continue in an environment of trust and legal predictability.

We thank Your Excellency for your attention to this matter and remain hopeful for a just and transparent resolution.

Respectfully,