A BELGIAN UNIVERSITY has suspended the US academic who spearheaded accusations of plagiarism against Jason Arday, the black ex-Cambridge professor found dead last week after resigning over the scandal.

Researcher Nathan Cofnas posted on X: “I was just suspended by Ghent University. They will almost certainly fire me.”

In a post on X earlier today, Cofnas had said “I am under investigation by my university for discriminating against Arday.”

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

Without naming Cofnas, the University of Ghent said in a statement it had launched a “preliminary disciplinary investigation” against a postdoctoral researcher embroiled in the furore, suspending him “as a precautionary measure”.

The statement added: “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.

“The death of Professor Arday should prompt reflection. We hope that lessons will be learnt from what has happened regarding the way we treat one another both within and outside the academic world, particularly when people become the subject of public controversy.”

Arday, who became Cambridge’s youngest black professor in 2023, was found dead at his home in Battersea, south London last Friday.

Cofnas, a self-described “race realist”, initiated accusations against Arday that he had plagiarised aspects of his PhD thesis. 

Jason Arday vigil organised by Stand Up To Racism in Trafalgar Square, London. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Cofnas was fired from Cambridge in 2024 after he said under a true meritocracy black people would “disappear from almost all high-profile positions outside of sports and entertainment”.

Arday was also accused of faking some of his achievements and lying about aspects of his life story.

Arday resigned from his post two weeks ago, saying in a statement that “while criticism is an inevitable part of academic life, what I have experienced has gone far beyond scholarly disagreement”.

“The relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have taken a profound toll on me and on those I love.”

On Monday, thousands of people gathered in central London to hold a vigil for Arday, blaming racism and relentless media pressure for his death last week. 

A fundraiser for Arday’s family has so far reached £219,000 (€255,000).

With reporting from AFP