Additional Name(s): Ruhiddin Fahrutdinov, Ruhiddin Fazlitdinovich Fahrutdinov

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Uzbekistan

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Health Concerns: Tuberculosis

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes

Sentence: 17 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: November//2005

Date of Sentencing: September/15/

Date of Release: August/27/2020

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Treason & Sedition

Ruhiddin Fahriddinov

Extra Bio Info:

Ruhiddin Fahriddinov was imprisoned for his religious activity.

In November 2005, Kazakh authorities detained and deported Fahriddinov, a scholar and independent imam, to Uzbekistan. Fahriddinov fled to Kazakhstan from Uzbekistan in 1998 following a crackdown on independent imams. Fahriddinov was reportedly tortured in both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan while detained. Uzbek authorities accused Fahriddinov recruiting and sending young people to terrorist training camps outside the country and for managing the finances of extremist religious sects and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

There are conflicting reports about the court involved in Fahriddinov's case, charges, and date of sentencing. Forum 18 reports that the the Tashkent City Criminal Court on September 15, 2006, sentenced Fahrutdinov to 17 years in prison for “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order” (Art. 159 UCC), “illegal formation of public associations or religious organizations” (Art. 216 UCC), “preparation or distribution of materials containing a threat to public security or public order” (Art. 244-1 UCC), and "creation, management, and participation in religious extremist, separatist, fundamentalist, or other banned organizations" (Art. 244-2 UCC). Human Rights Watch reports that the Chirchik Criminal Court in Tashkent on September 15, 2007, sentenced him to 17 years in prison on ten counts, which were not specified. Human Rights Watch reported that Fahriddinov had been originally charged with 22 offenses, including " terrorism, sabotage, organization of illegal religious groups, activity against the constitution, and the dissemination of materials that threaten state security."

Fahriddinov was reportedly tortured while imprisoned.

Fahriddinov's health deteriorated while imprisoned. Fahriddinov was reportedly held for nine months in an isolation cell, where he contracted tuberculosis.

Fahriddinov's family, including his wife and step-daughter, have been arrested, with his wife being sentenced to prison for their connection to Fahriddinov. Fahriddinov's wife also alleged that a police officer raped the couple's 6-year old daughter.

On August 27, 2020, Fahriddinov was released from prison after he was granted amnesty.

Publicly Available Information:

Sep 26, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2019

USCIRF Urges U.S. Policymakers to Remain Engaged on Religious Freedom in Turkey
Calls on Turkish Government to Cease Interference in Religious Elections

 

WASHINGTON, DC – Turkish authorities have issued guidelines for the election of a new patriarch for the Armenian Apostolic Church. The guidelines reportedly include a new condition that would preclude clerics serving outside of Turkey from participating in the election and severely restrict the number of individuals eligible to stand for election. The election for patriarch is scheduled to take place on December 11, 2019.

In response, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Tony Perkins said, “The Turkish government has increasingly interfered in the internal affairs of religious communities by placing gratuitous conditions on electoral processes for religious leaders.” Perkins urged U.S. policymakers to raise the importance of this election with the Turkish government.

“This latest interference is just one of many that has deprived the Armenian Apostolic Church of its right to choose its spiritual leadership for almost a decade,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Gayle Manchin.

On June 27, 2019, USCIRF held a hearing on the Turkish government’s interference in religious freedom. Witnesses at the hearing— including former religious prisoner of conscience Pastor Andrew Brunson, Cato Institute senior fellow Mustafa Akyol, Johns Hopkins professor Lisel Hintz, and former Turkish Parliament member Aykan Erdemir—testified to the need for elections free of government interference. They also offered analysis and policy recommendations related to anti-Semitic hate speech, the legal recognition of Alevis and their houses of worship, increased fear among Christian and other religious minority communities, religious property seizures, and the impact of the Turkish government’s foreign policy on religious minorities. 

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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 threats to 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] or Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

 

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Uzbekistan

Ethnic Group: Armenian

Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 7 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: September/4/2015

Date of Sentencing: February/19/2016

Date of Release: February/5/2020

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Identity

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Terrorism Theft & Robbery Treason & Sedition

Aramais Avakian

Extra Bio Info:

Aramais Avakian was imprisoned in relation to his religious identity.

On September 4, 2015, authorities arrested Avakian, a Christian fish farmer, after being accusing him of being an Islamic extremist and being sympathetic to the Islamic State group. Authorities informed Avakian's family, who had no knowledge of his whereabouts, of his detention more than a month later.  His family claims Avakian was targeted by local authorities as a means to seize his profitable fish farm.

Local and international human rights organizations have stated that Avakian was subjected to torture in attempts to extract a confession.

On February 19, 2016, the Dzhizakh Regional Criminal Court sentenced Avakian to seven years in prison for “attempts to overthrow the constitutional order” (Art. 159 UCC), sabotage (Art. 161 UCC), theft (Art. 169 UCC), and an unspecified subsection of Article 244 UCC. 

In May 2018, Avakian was relocated to a less strict prison facility in his home region of Jizzakh.

On February 5, 2020, Avakian was released.

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