Nine Nursi followers jailed in Tashkent Region – Uznews.net

Uznews.net – The Tashkent Region criminal code jailed nine graduates of the Turkish lyceum in Angren for membership of the banned Nurchilar (followers of Nursi Said) religious organisation.

Three Nursi followers – Jasur Hasanov, Farhod Hasanov and Dilmurod Rahmatov – were sentenced to five years in prison under Item 2 of Article 244 of the Criminal Code “creating, leading and participating in religious extremist, separatist, fundamentalist and other banned organisations”.

A further six followers – Tohir Vakkasov, Oybek Latypov, Sherzod Haytboyev, Jamshid Jabborov, Jahongir Tillayev and Asilhuja Turayev – were found guilty under Article 216 of the Criminal Code “illegal establishment of public and religious organisations”.

They were fined 70 minimum monthly wages (3.2 million sums or about $1,450) each.

Surat Ikramov, the head of the Initiative Group of Independent Human Rights Activists of Uzbekistan who observed the trial, said that the men had been jailed even though their guilt was not proven.

Nursi followers were subject to constant psychological pressure during the investigation, their lawyers said.

Source: http://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=en&sub=hot&cid=3&nid=14771

How China taught Islam to an American Blogger in Xinjiang

The Far West China blog gave a pretty good point of view of his experiences with Muslims in China looking at four different misconceptions:

  1. Islam is a Religion
  2. Islam oppresses Women
  3. Muslims are Arabs with Turbans
  4. If a Muslim kills, it is part of a “jihad”

I am quite impressed with his point of view.  I am also envious that he gets to live in this part of the world.

Uyghur Women

Uyghur Women - Source: Far West Blog

Read article here -> http://www.farwestchina.com/2010/07/how-china-taught-me-to-view-islam.html

Uyghur Peace March in Japan

Found this on Japan Probe.  Very interesting.  Many people in the West do not now much about the plight of the Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang Province.  Below is a video of a Peace March in Japan.

Uzbeks from Osh crossing into Uzbekistan

This video was taken last weekend. Uzbek refugees were crossing into Uzbekistan.

Osh Violence

The world seems to be ignoring what is going on in Osh and Jalal Abad, Kyrgyzstan, the last 4 days.  Nearly 100 people have been killed in ethnic violence between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz.  Nearly 80,000 plus Uzbeks are fleeing to the Uzbekistan border.  This is sad because both Uzbeks and Kyrgyz are Muslims and have lived in peace for many, many years.

Ousted Kyrgyz President, who resided in Jalal Abad before fleeing to Belarus, is clearly behind the violence in his bid to destabilize Kyrgyzstan fragile new democracy even further.

I visited both Osh and Jalal Abad back in 1999.  They are beautiful cities.  It saddens my eyes to see the smoke rising in Osh with Suleyman Tobe in the background…

View some videos of the smoke in Osh:

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