Originally published on January 13th, 2009

A UNIVERSITY of Edinburgh student, Stephan Bisky, was found dead in his flat in Edinburgh on Christmas Eve.
Stephan Bisky, 23, a PhD student of neuro-informatics was the son of German politician Lothar Bisky, co-chairman of the left-wing Die Linke party.

His father became worried when Stephan did not arrive at Leipzig airport to celebrate Christmas and instantly reported him as missing. Lothar Bisky said, “Stephan wanted to celebrate with us at Christmas. I waited at the Leipzig airport for him, but he did not arrive.”

The police were called to the flat at approximately 1:05pm on Christmas Eve. They reported that a 23-year-old man’s body was discovered at the flat, but that the circumstances surrounding the death were not suspicious.

Lothar Bisky flew into Edinburgh to identify the body. The cause of death remains uncertain. Lothar Bisky announced, “The laboratory tests are still ongoing, but I have discovered that he was being treated in hospital for a hepatitis illness.”

Hepatitis is an inflammatory disease of the liver, typically caused by viral infections or toxins in the blood.

Edinburgh’s procurator fiscal is currently conducting tests to establish the cause of death. A spokesperson told Student: “We can confirm that the procurator fiscal at Edinburgh has received a report in connection with the death of a 23 year old man in Edinburgh on 24 December 2008.”

“This matter remains under the consideration of the procurator fiscal. We will continue to keep the family informed of progress.”
Stephan suffered from seizures, a possible symptom of hepatitis, on one occasion collapsing while with friends at the RockNess festival in June 2008.

Stephan’s body will be transferred to Germany for burial.

His father stated: “He should be buried quietly. It is as if time stands still. For me, 2009 can only get better.”

Bisky was the second student in weeks to die while enrolled at Edinburgh. Cody Lavender, 20, died after falling from the fourth floor of Chancellor’s Court, Pollock Halls.