Hizb ut-Tahrir Challenges Karimov to End His Tyranny and Violence

London, UK, May 14 – At a press conference earlier today, the Uzbek President Islam Karimov, blamed Hizb ut-Tahrir for recent violence in Uzbekistan. Hizb ut-Tahrir views this as yet another futile attempt, by a weak and ailing regime, to malign Hizb ut-Tahrir by accusing it of involvement in violence, terrorism and militancy. This is despite the fact that Hizb ut-Tahrir categorically rejects violence, militancy or armed struggle as a method to re-establish the Islamic State. After decades of repression at the hands of the rulers of the Muslim world, the party has not erred from its non-violent methodology in the slightest.

By blaming Hizb ut-Tahrir, Karimov wants to shift attention from the cold-blooded murder of hundreds of civilian protestors in Andijan, including unarmed women and children. These murders were carried out on his orders and at the hands of his brutal Interior Minister Almatov and security forces. The massacre in Andijan is the latest chapter in Karimov’s brutal campaign of torture, intimidation and killing against all those who dare to speak out about his corruption, tyranny and unjust practices.

The governments of the West have once again illustrated the decadence of their values with their silence while hundreds of Uzbek Muslims are killed. While US President Bush recently praised the Baltic States for throwing off their Soviet shackles, he continues to maintain close ties with the Uzbek dictator, Karimov, whose Soviet and communist credentials are well known to all.

Commenting on Karimov’s claims, Dr Imran Waheed, the Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, said, "It is a weak and ailing regime that terrorises the masses through the cold-blooded murder of women and children. Muslims will never bow down their heads before this arrogant, tyrant ruler – the increased oppression will be an incentive to further intensify the work for the removal of such tyrants”.

“We challenge Karimov to end his tyranny and violence, release all political prisoners from the dungeons of Uzbekistan and confront the Muslims of Uzbekistan in an intellectual debate rather than hiding behind lies and propaganda.”

Contact Information

Dr Imran Waheed

Media Representative

Hizb ut-Tahrir [Britain]

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