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May 17, 2005
Islamic blame game
By B Raman
The violent uprising of the people of Andijan in Uzbekistan on May 13 has drawn a strong response from Uzbek authorities, resulting in the death of hundreds of people, according to some reports. The anti-government elements which organized the uprising claim to have captured 30 Uzbek soldiers and to be keeping them in their custody.
The uprising was preceded by a raid by supporters of the banned Hizbut Tehrir (HT) on a local prison in which the authorities had detained a group of 23 Muslim businessmen whom they had arrested on June 23, 2004, and accused of belonging to an Islamic extremist organization called the Akramia group. The raiders were reported to have forcibly got the so-called Akramia group members released.
On coming to know of their release, a large number of local residents came out onto the streets and captured a number of government buildings. The Uzbek security forces, after heavy fighting, managed to free the buildings from the control of the supporters of the so-called Akramia group and the HT.
The arrested Muslim businessmen, whose trial started at Alatankul on the outskirts of Andijan in February, had formed an Islamic mutual fund to help poor Muslims and to undertake charity work with its earnings. The authorities suspected it of being a front organization of the HT, a charge which was vehemently denied by the businessmen. They contended that they had no links with the HT and that their objective was purely philanthropic, with no political agenda.
Despite this, the authorities filed a charge-sheet against them under Articles 242 (setting up a criminal organization), 159 (undermining the constitutional basis of the Republic of Uzbekistan), 244-1 (preparing or distributing documents that contain a threat to public safety) and 244-2 (setting up, leading and participating in extremist religious organizations) of the Criminal Code.
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