Kyrgyz imam arrested for belonging to banned Islamic group
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 2 October 2012 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kyrgyz imam arrested for belonging to banned Islamic group, 2 October 2012, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5073cc6c17.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
October 02, 2012
By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service
BAZAR-KORGON, Kyrgyzstan – A local imam in Kyrgyzstan's southern district of Bazar-Korgon has been arrested for suspected membership in a banned Islamic group.
The spokeswoman of the Jalal-Abad regional interior affairs department, Aida Zulpukarova, told RFE/RL that Imam Shukurbek Duvanaev, 38, was detained for being a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international London-based Sunni political organization that seeks to unite all Muslim countries into an Islamic caliphate.
The Kyrgyz government, along with a number of other CIS countries, has banned Hizb ut-Tahrir, branding its supporters "extremists."
According to Zulpukarova, investigators found books, leaflets, and tapes with extremist content in Duvanaev's house.
Kyrgyz police have arrested several suspected members of Hizb ut-Tahrir in the Jalal-Abad region and in Bishkek, the capital, since August.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website