Exiled popular Uzbek Islamic preacher arrested in Turkey

A known exiled Uzbek Islamic preacher has been arrested by authorities in Turkey, his Azon Global website reported on Tuesday.

Alisher Tursunov, known as Mubashshir Akhmed was arrested “as a suspect” on 28 December, the report said, without giving further details.

The statement added that the news had not been reported earlier “in order not to disturb the public” and in the hope the arrest was “a mistake”.

“We firmly believed that the accusations against Ustoz (Teacher) Mubashshir Akhmed were completely groundless, the case would be solved during the preliminary investigation and the teacher would be freed. Unfortunately, that has not happened,” the statement said.

It said Mubashshir Akhmed had now been moved to a deportation centre, and his lawyers were taking “all the necessary measures” to secure his release.

Born in the eastern town of Namangan, Mubashshir Ahmed is a graduate of the Tashkent Islamic Institute and Egypt’s Al-Azhar University. In the past he worked for various official Uzbek Islamic media, taught at the Tashkent Islamic Institute and served as a deputy head of the secretariat at the Spiritual Board of Muslims of Uzbekistan.

In 2017 he founded the Azon media group that included a website and online radio and TV channels. A year later he was fired from his position at the official Muftiat.

Among other things, the Azon website published articles arguing in favour of the Muslim beard and hijab, and segregation of girls and boys at schools.

In August 2023 Uzbek authorities forced the closure of the Azon media group, after which Mubashshir Akhmed left for Turkey.

In November Akhmed and his followers launched Azon Global, saying they now intended “to expand our horizons” and move away from covering “mainly, national [Uzbek] issues”, to “issues concerning the entire Umma”, i.e. the entire global Muslim community. The website reports in Uzbek, Russian, English and Turkish.

The website has lately focused on the Israeli destruction of Gaza.

“There is no one left in the world who can hear the screams of the weak and extend a helping hand to them and protect them! Those who speak from high tribunes, saying they are on the side of the weak and against oppressors, only think about their political interests,” a recent article said.

Following President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s re-election for a new seven-year term in July, under a new constitution, his government has started tightening control over religion, and stepped up pressure on independent bloggers, both religious and secular.

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