In a disturbing display of religious repression, the Uzbek government has stooped to new lows by torturing a political prisoner for protesting a ban on reading the Quran. This latest incident shines a spotlight on the authoritarian regime's blatant disregard for human rights and religious freedom.
Prisoner Beaten for Defying Quran Ban
According to a new report from Eurasia Review, 35-year-old Shia Muslim Anvar Aliyev was recently arrested and subjected to torture by Uzbekistan's security services. His crime? Participating in a Telegram chat group to discuss his Shia faith, which the government has deemed "illegal." But the real outrage is what happened next.
After Aliyev's initial arrest, he was reportedly beaten and abused by authorities for protesting the country's ban on reading the Quran. What this really means is that the Uzbek regime is willing to resort to the most inhumane tactics to suppress religious expression and dissent. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has long documented the Uzbek government's systematic persecution of religious minorities, including Muslims, Christians, and others.
A Troubling Trend of Religious Repression
The bigger picture here is that Uzbekistan's crackdown on religious freedoms is part of a broader authoritarian agenda. As Global Voices reported, the government has shut down halal restaurants, forced shop owners to remove Islamic signage, and even compelled civil servants to choose between their jobs and their religious practices.
This relentless campaign against religious expression is a stark reminder that the Uzbek regime views Islam and other faiths as a threat to its power. By denying its citizens the basic right to worship freely, the government is sowing the seeds of further unrest and instability. The international community must urgently condemn these egregious human rights violations and demand that Uzbekistan uphold its obligations to protect religious freedom.