A university has suspended the academic who raised plagiarism allegations against Professor Jason Arday before the Cambridge scholar’s death.
Prof Arday resigned from his position at the University of Cambridge this month as scrutiny intensified over plagiarism claims first brought forward by fellow academic Nathan Cofnas.
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Mr Cofnas, who has promoted the concept of “race realism”, is a postdoctoral researcher in Ghent University’s department of philosophy and moral sciences, according to his website.
Writing on X on Thursday, he said: “I am under investigation by my university for discriminating against Arday.”
Ghent University confirmed his suspension after saying Prof Arday’s death “should prompt reflection” and reaffirming that the institution “opposes discrimination, hatred and racism”.
The Belgian university said it defended academic freedom and open debate, including on controversial views, but stressed that such freedom “is not unlimited” and “goes hand in hand with responsibility” as it announced unspecified action against Mr Cofnas.
I was just suspended by Ghent University. They will almost certainly fire me.
The decision was made by rector Petra De Sutter, a former leader of the Green Party.
— Nathan Cofnas (@nathancofnas) August 20, 2026
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, Ghent University rector Petra De Sutter and vice-rector Herwig Reynaert said: “Ghent University stands for respect for human dignity and opposes discrimination, hatred and racism.
“We attach great importance to academic freedom and to open academic debate, even when views are controversial. However, that freedom is not unlimited.
“It goes hand in hand with responsibility and may be restricted in order to protect the rights of others.
“For this reason, the university takes the recent public statements made by a postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University regarding this matter very seriously.
“Ghent University has decided to take appropriate action within its powers and the applicable framework.”
The rector and vice-rector said transparency was “important”, but added that they did not want to “pre-empt any potential decisions at this stage”.
They said the university had been “shocked” by Prof Arday’s death and that their thoughts remained with his family, friends, colleagues and students.
A Ghent spokesperson later said: “Ghent University formally notified the staff member concerned of the launch of a preliminary disciplinary investigation.
“As part of this process, the university is assessing whether there are sufficient grounds to refer the case to the competent disciplinary body for further consideration.
“Pending this preliminary investigation, Ghent University has suspended the staff member as a precautionary measure.
“The university cannot comment further on the specific details of the disciplinary case or the underlying arguments, in order to safeguard the confidentiality of the personnel file and the disciplinary proceedings.”
Prof Arday, who became Cambridge’s youngest black professor in 2023, was found dead in Battersea, south London, last Friday.
Organisers said earlier this week that more than 30,000 people had gathered for a vigil honouring the 41-year-old in Trafalgar Square, central London.
Speakers criticised media coverage of Prof Arday at the vigil. MP Diane Abbott said he had faced a “vicious” and “bitter” campaign from people who did not believe a black man should hold a Cambridge professorship, describing the coverage as a “public execution” and a “lynching”.
Mr Cofnas has been contacted for comment.
