Additional Name(s): Zhahongir Ulugmurodov
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Uzbekistan
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Reduced to 3 Years' Restricted Freedom
Sentence: Originally 3 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Sentencing: May/8/2023
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Distributing Religious Materials Online Activity Singing, Playing, & Producing Religious Songs & Music
Nature of Charges: Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials
Jahongir Ulugmurodov
Extra Bio Info:
Jahongir Ulugmurodov was imprisoned for his religious activities.
On an unspecified date, authorities detained Ulugmurodov for downloading and sharing a religious song with some classmates that the State Committee on Religious Affairs claims includes "fundamentalist ideas."
On May 8, 2023, a Tashkent court sentenced Ulugmurodov to three years in prison for "distributing or displaying materials containing a threat to public security and public order using mass media or telecommunication, or the Internet" (Art. 244-1.3 UCC).
On July 28, 2023, the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan reduced Ulugmurodov's sentence to three years of restricted freedom and released him from prison.
In December 2023, it was reported that Ulugmurodov would be exempted from his sentence.
Jun 5, 2023
Abraham Cooper Elected as Chair of Bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Frederick A. Davie as Vice Chair
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today unanimously elected Abraham Cooper as its Chair for 2023-2024. USCIRF Commissioners also unanimously elected Frederick A. Davie as its Vice Chair.
“I am honored to serve as Chair of the Commission,” USCIRF Chair Cooper stated. “USCIRF has long amplified the voices of people around the world whose governments seek to silence and persecute them for expressing the religion of their choice, or for choosing not to practice any religion at all. I look forward to continuing this legacy and to working with Vice Chair Davie and my fellow Commissioners in urging the White House, State Department, and Congress to implement USCIRF’s policy recommendations to advance freedom of religion or belief for all.”
Chair Cooper was appointed to the Commission by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. He is the Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action for the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), a leading Jewish human rights organization with more than 400,000 family members. He is also a founder of the Global Forum on Anti-Semitism. An acknowledged expert on online hate and terrorism, he regularly meets with world leaders to defend the rights of the Jewish people, combat terrorism, and promote multi-faith relations worldwide.
“Together with Chair Cooper and my colleagues, I am eager to continue our shared efforts to counter the increasing levels of abuse and violence we see against individuals of all faiths, and those of no faith, by foreign governments and nonstate actors in a range of countries,” USCIRF Vice Chair Davie added. “USCIRF will remain a strong advocate on these issues and will work closely with U.S. government officials to keep the promotion of religious freedom abroad a top foreign policy priority.”
Also serving on the Commission are David Curry, Mohamed Magid, Stephen Schneck, Nury Turkel, Eric Ueland, and Frank Wolf.
Read the full Commissioner biographies here.
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].
Jun 2, 2023
USCIRF Calls for Immediate Release of Baha’is Forcibly Disappeared by the Houthis in Yemen
Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns last week’s Houthi attack on a peaceful gathering of Yemeni Baha’is in Sana’a. Armed Houthi gunmen stormed a private residence and arrested 17 Baha’i community members during the gathering.
“USCIRF is outraged by last week’s Houthi raid on the Baha’i community and calls for their immediate release,” said USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck. “U.S. officials must urge Houthi authorities to cease the flagrant targeting of religious minority communities and engage in good faith to secure a new agreement on a comprehensive peace process.”
On May 23, armed Houthi forces raided a private residence in Sana’a where members of the Baha’i community were attending their annual national convention to elect the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Yemen. The 17 detained individuals were taken to an unknown location, and their family members have been unable to contact them. This latest attack is part of the Houthi movement’s ongoing attacks on religious minorities in northern Yemen, including Baha’is. Under Houthi rule, Baha’is are systematically targeted on a religious basis and have suffered from public defamation, seizure of assets, destruction of property, arbitrary arrests, and lack of due process. The community’s leader, Hamid bin Haydara, was sentenced to death in 2018 before being allowed to leave in 2020 along with five other Baha’i detainees despite charges against them remaining in place.
“USCIRF abhors Houthi restrictions on religious freedom for Yemeni Baha’is and other religious minorities,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Abraham Cooper. “The U.S. government together with members of the international community must affirm to Houthi leaders that respect for the fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief is the only path towards durable peace in Yemen."
In its 2023 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate the Houthi movement as an “entity of particular concern,” or EPC, for engaging in and tolerating ongoing and egregious violations of freedom of religion or belief. In May 2023, USCIRF published a report on violations of religious freedom in Houthi-controlled areas of northern Yemen.
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion or belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].