ANTI-ISLAMIC TRIALS NOW ALSO IN WESTERN UZBEKISTAN.

A regional court in Horezm, western Uzbekistan, has sentenced three Islamic believers to prison terms of ten, nine, and five years, respectively, for allegedly promoting “Wahhabism.” The men were specifically accused of urging women to wear the veil, of attempting to convert people of other faiths to Islam, and of possession of narcotic drugs and ammunition. (Uzbek Television, July 20) Uzbekistan’s state-controlled courts recently held five anti-Islamic trials against Islamic activists from eastern Uzbekistan in eastern Uzbekistan (see the Monitor, May 19 and 28, June 8, and July 7) The Horezm trial suggests that the use of courts against Islamic groups is now extending to the western part of the country.–VS

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