Uzbekistan: Nursi Followers Latest Target of Government Crackdown

In the fourth-known trial of its kind so far this year, an Uzbek court on April 29 sentenced nine followers of the Turkish theologian Said Nursi to prison terms of up to nine years, the Oslo-based religious freedom watchdog Forum 18 reported.

Uzbek authorities consider followers of Nursi to be Islamic radicals, Felix Corley, Forum 18's editor, told EurasiaNet. Overall, Uzbek courts have convicted 25 followers of Nursi so far this year. Written verdicts are due on May 2.

"The Uzbek government has the most repressive religious policy of all the governments in the former Soviet republics. The government doesn't tolerate any religious activity it cannot control," Corley said.

"Trials in such cases are heavily weighted against the defendants - not only does the law often ban activities which under Uzbekistan's international human rights commitments should not be 'offenses,' the judicial system is also not independent of the executive," Corley added.

The State Committee on Religious Affairs in Tashkent declined to comment on the case.