Student Kidnapped In Iraq Was Conducting Research For ‘Approved’ Topic, Admits Princeton U

PRINCETON, NJ — A Princeton University student who was kidnapped in Iraq was conducting research on an “approved” topic for her dissertation, Princeton University officials said Wednesday.

The University made the admission for the first time since the kidnapping of doctoral candidate Elizabeth Tsurkov.

“Elizabeth was kidnapped while enrolled at the University and was in Iraq conducting research related to her approved Ph.D. dissertation topic,” University Spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss told Patch in an email statement.

“We remain deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of Princeton graduate student Elizabeth Tsurkov and are eager for her to be released so she can rejoin her family and resume her studies.”

Tsurkov’s kidnapping was first made public by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in July.

An Israeli-Russian PhD scholar, Tsurkov visited Iraq on her Russian passport. She was kidnapped by the Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah while conducting research in Baghdad, according to Israel.

Kataib Hezbollah or Brigades of the Party of God is an Iraqi Shia militia that gets financial support from Iran. The U.S. has designated the group a terrorist organization since 2009.

The Iraqi government later announced it had opened an investigation into the kidnapping.

Tsurkov was reported missing since March.

Her sister Emma Tsurkov has accused the University of botching up the response to the scholar’s kidnapping. She told the Daily Beast that the University treated the kidnapping like a “PR problem that needs to be handled, rather than a life or death matter for its graduate student.”

Emma also accused Princeton University of breaking promises made to the family. She had repeatedly urged the University to acknowledge that the scholar was kidnapped while conducting research for her approved dissertation, reported the news portal.

“It took way longer than it should have, but the truth is finally out: My sister @Elizrael was kidnapped while doing field work for her approved dissertation,” she wrote on platform “X” formerly known as Twitter.

Meanwhile, the University said it has offered its support to the family.

“We have offered support to Elizabeth’s family and are in communication with government officials and experts for guidance on how the University can best help to bring Elizabeth home safely,” Hotchkiss told Patch.

Since the scholar’s disappearance, the Tsurkov family has been working with the Richardson Center for Global Engagement to bring her home.

The Richardson Center for Global Engagement a nonprofit aiming in part to negotiate “for the release of prisoners and hostages held by hostile regimes or criminal organizations.”

Tsurkov began studying in Princeton in 2019. She specializes in the Middle East including Syria, Israel-Palestine and Iraq.

Her research focuses on the Levant – a geographical term referring to the region including Israel and Syria - and “particularly, the Syrian uprising and civil war,” according to her website.

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