Unjustified Expectations: In Uzbekistan, a Preacher Handed Over by Turkey is Being Tried
(Translated)
News:
The Uchtepa Criminal Court in Tashkent began hearings on August 19 in the criminal case against religious figure Alisher Tursunov, known by his pseudonym "Mubashir Ahmad." This was reported by Aziz Obidov, head of the press service of the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan. According to the indictment, Tursunov is accused under three articles of the Uzbek Criminal Code, namely:
* Article 156, Part 2 - Intentional acts that insult national honor and dignity, and insult the feelings of citizens on the basis of their religious or atheistic beliefs, committed with the aim of inciting hostility, intolerance, or discord among groups of the population on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, or religion...
* Article 244-1, Part 3, Paragraph "z" - Production, storage, distribution, or display of materials that pose a threat to public safety and public order through the use of media, communication networks, or the Internet.
* Article 244-3 - Illegal production, storage, import, or distribution of religious materials.
These charges combined carry a lengthy prison sentence.
Comment:
It is worth noting that Mubashir Ahmad, like many other religious figures, sincerely believed in President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's promises of reform after taking office. In 2017, he founded Azon New Media Group, which included the Azon.uz website, Azon FM online radio, and Azon TV online television channel. The Azon.uz portal became the leading Uzbek media outlet covering religious and educational topics.
In 2021, Mubashir Ahmad reported pressure from the Committee on Religious Affairs of Uzbekistan regarding the portal's editorial policy, which the committee publicly denied at the time. Later, Azon.uz employees were fined for publishing religious materials that, according to the court, could harm Uzbekistan's foreign relations!
When the portal was closed in August 2023, Mubashir Ahmad moved to Turkey, which, like many other religious figures, he considered a safe place to continue his work. In November of the same year, he launched a new online portal, Azon Global. However, at the end of December of that year, the Turkish law enforcement authorities detained Mubashir Ahmad, placed him in a deportation center, and then, after several months of detention, he was released.
Finally, in February of this year, the Uzbek security forces announced the opening of a criminal case against Tursunov on charges of "establishing, leading, or participating in extremist, separatist, fundamentalist, or other banned religious organizations." In May, the Turkish special services detained him again, and this time he was quickly handed over to Uzbekistan.
The case of Mubashir Ahmad is an example for today's activists who hope to find safety and opportunities by cooperating with the rulers of Islamic countries. It is said that these rulers lack any moral constraints and act only out of self-interest. If it is politically beneficial for them, they will not hesitate to hand over their Muslim brothers. This is not to mention the fact that these rulers do not really rule themselves, but largely play the role assigned to them by the Western colonizers who brought them to power.
Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut-Tahrir
Muhammad Mansour