Creating Enemies of the State: Religious Persecution in Uzbekistan
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Creating Enemies of the State Religious Persecution in Uzbekistan Human Rights Watch Copyright © 2004 by Human Rights Watch. All rights reserved. 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Henkin, Bruce Rabb, and Malcolm B. Smith. 7 Creating Enemies of the State Religious Persecution in Uzbekistan I. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................. 1 Summary .............................................................................................1 Methodology........................................................................................7 Recommendations................................................................................7 II. BACKGROUND............................................................................. 18 Brief Chronological Overview........................................................... 18 Brief Islamic Revival and Government Backlash ........................... 18 Restored State Control of Religion, 1992-1995.............................. 20 Targeting Imams, 1995-1997......................................................... 21 The Arrests Widen, 1997-2001....................................................... 23 Bombings, Mass Arrests, and Trials .............................................. 24 Emergence of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan,1999- 2001............................................................................................... 28 Institutions of Control........................................................................ 31 The Propaganda Campaign........................................................... 32 Local Government Enforcers (Mahalla Committees)..................... 34 Neighborhood Guardians .............................................................. 38 The Role of Official Islam .............................................................. 39 The Committee on Religious Affairs............................................... 41 Notes on Wahhabism, “Wahhabis,” and Hizb ut-Tahrir .................... 44 Wahhabism and “Wahhabis” ........................................................ 44 Hizb ut-Tahrir................................................................................ 48 Hizb ut-Tahrir in Uzbekistan ......................................................... 50 Peaceful or Violent? ...................................................................... 51 Hizb ut-Tahrir’s Religion and Politics........................................... 53 Islam as a Complete and Comprehensive System........................... 54 Opposition to Secularism and Democracy..................................... 55 Anti-Americanism .......................................................................... 56 Anti-Semitism................................................................................. 57 The Legal Setting............................................................................... 58 Freedom of Religion in International Law..................................... 59 The Domestic Legal Context .......................................................... 62 III. TARGETS OF THE CAMPAIGN............................................... 82 Imams, Their Followers, and “Wahhabis” ......................................... 83 Imams ............................................................................................ 85 Followers....................................................................................... 98 Fourteen Accused “Wahhabis:” Fergana, June 2002 ................. 105 Eight Accused “Wahhabis:” Tashkent, September 2001 ............. 106 Thirteen Accused “Wahhabis:” Tashkent, December 2000- April 2001.................................................................................... 106 Seventeen Accused “Wahhabis:” Tashkent, June-August 2000............................................................................................. 109 Fifteen Accused “Wahhabis:” Tashkent, June-November 2000............................................................................................. 113 Hizb ut-Tahrir.................................................................................. 115 Twelve Members: Tashkent, May 1999........................................ 117 Thirteen Members: Tashkent, July 1999 ...................................... 123 Twenty-Six Members: Andijan, April-August 1999...................... 124 Musharraf Usmanova .................................................................. 128 Fifteen Members: Tashkent, May-July 2003 ................................ 129 Punishing the Exchange of Ideas ................................................. 130 Punishing the Study of Religious Texts ........................................ 137 Family Members: Arrests, House Arrest, Harrassment...................