Analysis, Central Asia, Featured

The president is new, but the regime and its methods are old

On 14 February, the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan on the “Uzbekistan” channel released a program entitled “The homeland that was sold for one’s passion”. The television program used the false accusations of the crooks against the ideas and activities of the political party Hizb ut Tahrir.

Comment:

In the past few months, the propaganda by the state media of the threat of “Islamic extremism and terrorism” has significantly increased in the territory of Uzbekistan. Since the beginning of the year, the films of the Andijan events have been repeatedly shown. “The Sacred Desire”, a feature film about the founders of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, was shot by the National Agency “Uzbekkino” at the film studio “Uzbekfilm”. The film director Hilol Nasimov is the head of the film studio “Uzbekfilm”, known to moviegoers for his propagandistic and agitational work in the interest of the authority policy. And now they have also released the film with the false accusations against Hizb ut Tahrir.

Everyone knows the policy of the former head of Uzbekistan a petty tyrant I. Karimov against the Shabab of Hizb. During the last years of his administration, despite his tyranny and ruthless persecution of the Shabab, we did not notice the open and intensive propaganda of the media in our address. But this TV program is the first open false propaganda addressed to us by the new government.

The new president of Uzbekistan, Mirziyoyev, has been in the top echelons of power for more than 15 years and follows the previous course of I. Karimov. Mirziyoyev carried out the repressive measures against everyone who stood in his way, supported the regime of the tyrant I. Karimov and served him. And therefore, we cannot say that the relatively peaceful beginning of Mirziyoyev’s rule is a new policy towards Islam, Muslims and in particular to Shabab of Hizb. No. Mirziyoyev is now busy strengthening his power in the country, establishing relations with the businessmen and those in power, in order to somehow raise the country’s economy. He tries to show to the world that everything is quiet in Uzbekistan and there is a platform for infusion of capital, building mutually beneficial economic relations, which will help to dispel the negative attitude of the so-called “democratic” countries towards Uzbekistan.

In turn, the security forces (siloviki) from the National Security Service (NSS) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs are more conservative and do not want any changes and indulgences in the country. The head of the NSS Inoyatov is afraid that any weakening of the regime, and even one free breath of air for the Muslims of the country, may be the starting point for the demise of the dictatorial regime. And that’s why the security forces are stirring up the situation with the far-fetched threat of “extremism and terrorism” spreading false accusations in the media. And still there is the fact that the government has not released any of our persistent Shabab alive, which should also at least be somehow justified. We still receive the blessed bodies of the persistent martyrs from the jail cells of the criminal regime. And in turn the criminal regime continues its false propaganda to justify itself in any way before the people and the world community.

We, in turn, state with all responsibility that only Islam is the solution of all human problems, and in particular of the people of Uzbekistan, as it is an integral system for the life of all mankind. While there is no righteous state, as long as there is no righteous ruler of Muslims who will rule on the basis of the Quran and the Sunnah, we will remain under tyranny. We call everyone to work with us to revive the Islamic way of life by building the second righteous state of the Khilafah (Caliphate) based on the method of Prophethood. And may Allah سبحانه وتعالى help us.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: «إِنَّمّا الإِمَامُ جُنَّةٌ يُقَاتَلُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ وَيُتَّقَى بِهِ»

“Verily the Imam is a shield behind whom they (Muslims) fight and by whom they are protected”.

 

Eldar Khamzin

Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir