Professor Nadeem Naqvi of KIMEP University, who was previously accused of harassment, has sent a formal pre-trial demand to the former Dean of the College of Social Sciences, Jason Gaines. In the document, the professor insists that the allegations circulated are false and defamatory, and demands a public retraction within 14 days.
WHAT PROMPTED THE DEMANDS
According to BES.media, Professor Nadeem Naqvi is contesting three statements contained in letters from the former dean, Jason Gaines.
The first concerns an alleged involvement in an incident with sex workers on campus in 2013. Naqvi maintains that during that period he lived off campus and only moved into university housing in 2015, and claims the incident itself was related to another person—the late Donald Hoskins.
The second point relates to a reference to a post on the personal blog of Gautam Bhattacharya, which the professor described as an unverified source without editorial oversight.
The third concerns an allegation that he was dismissed from the University of Georgia following a formal investigation into a sexual harassment case. In Naqvi’s view, no evidence for this claim was presented.
WHAT THE PROFESSOR DEMANDED
In his letter, Nadeem Naqvi stated that the dissemination of accusations among students, bypassing official procedures, had damaged his professional reputation and contributed to media attention.
The professor demanded that within 14 days, Jason Gaines cease the dissemination of the accusations, issue a public retraction via the same mailing list (including students, the university president’s office, and the Minister of Education), and withdraw materials provided to the media and an anonymous Telegram bot.
If these demands are not met, Naqvi indicated his intention to take the matter to the courts of Kazakhstan, based on Articles 143–145 of the Civil Code concerning the protection of honour, dignity, and business reputation. The letter also notes that the demands may be supplemented as new evidence emerges and as potential legal proceedings develop.
HOW THE CONFLICT DEVELOPED
The controversy surrounding the professor intensified after a post on the social media platform Threads. The post cited information from previously published materials, according to which Nadeem Naqvi was reportedly dismissed from the University of Georgia in 1999 after an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment involving students.
Subsequently, a farewell letter from the former Dean of the College of Social Sciences, Jason Gaines, circulated widely. Sent to students via internal email, it stated that he had left his position due to disagreements with university management over an issue relating to Naqvi. Gaines also claimed that the administration asked him not to raise the matter of events nearly 30 years ago and insisted on renewing the professor's contract.
According to Gaines, some students were afraid to file official complaints, so he urged them to contact the media instead.
HOW KIMEP UNIVERSITY RESPONDED
On 8 June 2026, the university published an official statement, confirming it was aware of the situation and the information being circulated among students.
The institution emphasised that student safety and well-being remain a priority, and all concerns are addressed within established procedures. The university stated it is reviewing the information received and determining next steps in accordance with its internal regulations.
KIMEP University also said it does not comment on specific personnel decisions or internal correspondence, and that conclusions regarding the veracity of individual statements will not be made without a proper investigation.
Furthermore, the university noted that neither students nor employees should face negative consequences for sincerely expressing concerns or participating in prescribed procedures.