Press Release
Final Statement of the Campaign and Picket:
"Karimov is Spiteful of Islam" Organized by Hizb ut Tahrir, in front of the Uzbekistan Embassy - London On Saturday, 20 Rajab 1436 AH corresponding to May 9, 2015 CE
(Translated)

The Western governments are fully aware of the brutal crimes committed by Karimov's tyrant regime against the Muslims in Uzbekistan. Human rights organizations documented the gross campaigns of torture in Karimov's prisons before the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) ended prison visits in Uzbekistan. The Director of the ICRC, Mr. Yves Daccord announced on 11/04/2013 the Committee  decision to terminate visits to inmates in prison because their work is hampered so much by the regime as to be of little effect. The European Union countries in 2009 initially justified lifting the sanctions imposed on the Karimov regime after it had allowed the Red Cross to conduct visits to verify the conditions of detainees in prisons. They would have preferred that the Red Cross did not expose the horrible record of the torture practices in Uzbekistan. In its report on 14/11/2013, the United Nations Committee Against Torture strongly rebuked Uzbekistan for its abysmal record and declared that "In the face of numerous, well-documented allegations that torture is not only systematic and unpunished, but also encouraged by the authorities". The Committee likened the torture practices in the prisons to methods used in the Stalin era to extract confessions from detainees for use in the courts to falsely convict those accused and pass unjustly harsh sentences. It also documented that deaths of detainees occurred as a result of torture, and it is documented that the regime would extend prison sentences of detainees under false pretexts. The report stated for example that: "Today, torture is one of the most important problems in Uzbek society, and law enforcement agencies are the main offenders in this area."

The report also exposed the judiciary, which is a tool subordinate to the regime for imposing oppressive punishments. Additionally, it revealed that the Karimov regime's signature of the treaty prohibiting torture of prisoners is not worth the ink used for the signature. Rather, it is meant to mislead and fool the public opinion by showing that Karimov's regime is committed to international treaties.

Despite all this documentation, the leaders of the European countries and the United States have adopted the policy of "turning a blind eye" and "turning a deaf ear" to all these irrefutable and carefully documented facts. This is not surprising, since their Machiavellian policies are based on "the end justifies the means"; the end to these rulers is enslaving their people for the benefit of a clan of the powerful who have vested interests, as well as to pursue the colonial policies aimed at looting the colonies' riches (colonies which were granted a bogus independence), this "end" justifies everything for them, including supporting the tyrant criminals in Uzbekistan and in other Muslim countries. The scandals of the secret "rendition" prisons reeked of the stench of the CIA with the complicity of other Western intelligence agencies in using appalling barbaric methods to conduct interrogations which surpassed the barbarity of the notorious Inquisition in the Middle Ages.

When the despot rulers want to punish their opponents, they only need to raise the catch-all phrase of "fighting terrorism" to spread a climate of fear in the country to criminalize and crush any critical voices seeking justice and calling for ending the tyranny of the dictator. They also justify the persecution of those who think or call for liberation from the domination and servitude of the regime imposed by the rulers of the Russian and Western countries. Under the pretext of fighting terrorism, ludicrous laws are passed deliberately which includes the criminalization of so-called extremist ideology, even if it is books that include supplications or Hadeeth of the Prophet, or the like. The purpose of the anti-terror laws is to enable the regime (in Uzbekistan, as in Russia and the other Central Asian states) to persecute any opposition or call for change. Consequently,  the Western and Russian governments did not hold Karimov accountable, not for the Andijan massacre on 13 May 2005, which claimed more than 7000 lives from the Muslims, and neither for what preceded or followed it of atrocious practices in prisons, nor to question him for the reason for the expulsion of human rights organizations and the persecution of their workers, or for the prevention of the Red Cross from carrying out its work. All this means that the rulers of Russia and the West are partners of Karimov in these crimes. This also raises the question about the reasons for the silence of the Western public opinion about these practices. However, people in the West were deceived by the Western intelligence that does not cease to remind them of the alleged terrorist threat.

Hizb ut Tahrir confronted the criminality of the tyrant Karimov and worked to expose his crimes, fearing none but Allah, The Almighty The All-Powerful. The Hizb followed the method of the Prophet (saw) in proclaiming the truth and accounting the tyrant ruler, as stated in the noble Hadith:

«سيد الشهداء حمزة بن عبد المطلب، ورجل قام إلى إمام جائر فأمره ونهاه فقتله»

"The master of martyrs is Hamza Bin Abdul Muttalib, and a man who stands up to a tyrant ruler and orders him (with the good) and forbids him (from evil), then he is killed (by the tyrant ruler)."

Its members and their families and supporters have made sacrifices that would shake mountains. Nevertheless, this has not weakened our resolve in the face of tyranny.

Today, we have come here to announce the conclusion of the global campaign launched by Hizb ut Tahrir under the title of ‪#‎Karimov_Is_Spiteful_of_Islam. We are sending a message from here:

- To our beloved Dawah carriers in the prisons of the tyrant Karimov and their families and loved ones: We say it aloud: We are with you and you are in our hearts and minds, we make du'a for you in our prayers day and night. May Allah grant you the best reward on our behalf and on the behalf of Islam and Muslims. Your steadfastness and sacrifices have been recorded in the pages of Noor (Light) that will intercede for you to your Creator, Allah willing, on the Day where neither wealth nor child will be of avail, and your Ummah will be your witness for your sacrifices.  To you, we say be patient and rejoice with the glad tiding of the Messenger of Allah (saw) to the family of Yasser:

«صبرا آل ياسر فإن موعدكم الجنة» "Be patient Aal-Yasser, your appointment is Paradise." Patience, O carriers of the call of Truth as your appointment is Paradise, with the Permission of Allah. Know that for every term there is a decree, Allah will fulfill His promise to you and may that be soon.

- To the Islamic Ummah, Allah Almighty has made it obligatory upon the Muslim to support his Muslim brother, The Almighty speaks the Truth:

(وَإِنِ اسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ)

"And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help." [Al-Anfal: 72]

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

المسلم أخو المسلم، لا يظلمه، ولا يسلمه، ومَن كان في حاجة أخيه، كان الله في حاجته، ومَن فرَّج عن مسلم كربةً، فرج الله عنه كربةً مِن كربات يوم القيامة

"The Muslim is brother of a Muslim, he does not oppress him, nor betray him, and the one who answers the need of his brother, Allah will answer his need, and if a Muslim lifts a hardship of a Muslim, Allah will lift one of his hardships on the Day of Judgment."

In the Hadeeth «فكوا العاني» "Free the Aani" which means free the captive. The Shariah obligates you to support your oppressed brothers and sisters in Uzbekistan and in other Muslim countries.

- And we focus our call to the commanders of the Muslim armies: you are the people of power and ability to bring the victory. Know that Allah will make His Deen victorious and will fulfill His Promise, and that you will stand in front of Him (swt) on the Day of Judgment and will be accounted for what you made for yourselves of good or evil. Do not be tempted by the life of the Dunya but rather rush to a Paradise as wide as the skies and the earth. You can already feel the earth trembling beneath the feet of the oppressors, so side with your Ummah and support the Deen of Allah. You will win the pleasure of your Lord, and the glory of both abodes and the supplications of the angels for you, but if you refuse, then know that you cannot stop Allah Almighty.

- And a message to the fair minded and sensible people in the West: do not become, with your silence, partners in the crimes committed by your leaders in their support for the dictator of Uzbekistan, by  overlooking what his henchmen commit of crimes that are  well documented and well known to all.

O Allah, send Your Mercy and Your Tranquility down on our oppressed brothers and sisters in the prisons of the tyrant of Uzbekistan, and support them with Your angels, and Your soldiers who no one knows except You, and guide us to what You love and accept. You are our Helper, the Best Helper and the Best Supporter.

Osman Bakhach
Director of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir