Tashkent's Yunusabad Probation Department claimed that freed Muslim prisoner of conscience Fazilkhoja Arifkhojayev violated the terms of his conditional release under restrictions. On 11 December 2025, Yunusabad District Criminal Court ordered him to be transferred to restricted freedom - effective house arrest - for the rest of his original term. The Judge set this remaining term as three years, ten months and seven days. This means Arifkhojayev's term is now due to end in October 2029.

Police arrested the now 45-year-old Arifkhojayev, a Muslim known for his criticisms of the regime's religious policies, in June 2021. At a closed trial in January 2022, Tashkent's Olmazor District Criminal Court jailed him for seven and half years in a labour camp. Officials freed him under restrictions in December 2023 (see below).

Under his new conditions, Arifkhojayev is banned from leaving Tashkent city, using the internet, and attending meetings, including attending mosque. He is allowed to leave home only to go to work (though he cannot currently find a job). When Forum 18 asked Judge Fatima Ismoilova why she ordered Arifkhojayev to serve the rest of his term under house arrest, she put the phone down (see below).

Chief of Yunusabad Probation Department Khasan threatened Arifkhojayev in the Court room: "Now you must not even eat in cafes or visit your relatives, otherwise we will send you back to prison," Arifkhojayev's family complained to Forum 18. Arifkhojayev "cannot talk to the media because this will be considered a violation", they added. "And the authorities warned that they will send him back to prison at any violation of the court-imposed regime." A probation officer who attended the court hearing did not answer his phone each time Forum 18 called (see below).

On 10 December 2025, police prevented Tashkent Muslim Gayrat Ziyakhojayev from attending his appeal hearing at Tashkent City Criminal Court. He was appealing against a fine of one month's average wage imposed in October 2025 for reposting a video on his Facebook account of a sermon by a state-approved Imam. Judge Odil Ilkhomjonov refused to say why - in violation of procedure - he heard the appeal in Ziyakhojayev's absence. "I cannot tell you why. It is an internal matter. And if the defendant is unhappy, he can appeal against my decision," he told Forum 18 (see below).

On 25 December 2025, police in the Turkish city of Istanbul arrested Fazliddin Parpiyev. The now 39-year-old former Tashkent imam fled Uzbekistan in December 2018 "for my safety" after appealing to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev as Muslims "cannot have full freedom of religion and belief". While in Turkey he gained Turkish citizenship. The arrest came "at the request of Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Türkiye", Parpiyev's Facebook account noted. The Turkish authorities sent him to a deportation centre in the capital Ankara. Uzbek prosecutors have launched a criminal case against him (see below).

The Facebook account noted that "Uzbekistan sent special agents [to Istanbul] after him [Parpiyev]." The agents "repeatedly approached Parpiyev and lied to him that if he asks for forgiveness [from President Mirziyoyev], he may be given a lenient punishment". The Facebook page added: "We are seriously concerned that if extradited to Uzbekistan, Parpiyev will face the risk of torture and imprisonment" (see below).

In 2025, the Russian authorities put Parpiyev on their Federal Wanted List at Uzbekistan's request. They removed him from the list after his detention in Turkey (see below).

Tight restrictions on exercising freedom of religion or belief

The regime severely restricts the exercise of freedom of religion and belief, with interlinked freedoms of expression, association, and assembly. Violations include: jailing and torturing prisoners of conscience whose only crime is to exercise their freedom of religion and belief; banning education and worship meetings without state permission; complete state control of all expressions of Islam; and religious literature censorship and destruction.

In October 2025, a Tashkent court jailed Muslim blogger Alisher Tursunov (Mubashir Ahmad) for two-and-a-half years for his online publications and ordered his sites closed. Tursunov did not appeal and is in labour camp in Navoi Region.

Also in October 2025, a Samarkand court handed Anvar Aliyev a four-year suspended sentence for a Shia Muslim Telegram group.

Several Muslim prisoners of conscience jailed for exercising freedom of religion or belief are facing further pressure in prison. In August 2025, officials of Qorovulbozor Prison No. 17 in Bukhara Region threatened prisoner of conscience Khayrullo Tursunov to write statements to further implicate his fellow-believers who were jailed at the same time. "We are not sure, but others arrested with him may have been threatened to do the same," Muslims who know him told Forum 18.

Arifkhojayev: Freed in December 2023 under restrictions

Police arrested Fazilkhoja Talipjanovich Arifkhojayev (born 25 November 1980), a Muslim known for his criticisms of the regime's religious policies, in June 2021. At a closed trial in January 2022, Tashkent's Olmazor District Criminal Court jailed him for seven and half years in a labour camp.

Prisoner of conscience Arifkhojayev was given conditional early release and transferred to his home in Tashkent in December 2023. He was ordered to serve the rest of his sentence under restrictions. The court ordered him to pay 15 per cent from his monthly earnings to the State as one of the conditions of his early release from prison.

Arifkhojayev is officially registered in Tashkent at Chilanzar District Police, but because he lives in Yunusabad District he was invited regularly for talks to both District Police Departments. "They usually ask me who I talk to and whether I am publishing anything critical on the government," he told Forum 18 in September 2025. "They check my cell phone."

"For the last several months he could not pay anything to the State since he was not employed," Arifkhojayev's family told Forum 18 in mid-December 2025. "He could not find a job." Because of this, the Probation Department of Yunusabad District Police at first warned Arifkhojayev. When he continued not paying, they brought a case to the Court to amend the terms of his restrictions, the family added.

Arifkhojayev: Former Muslim prisoner of conscience's new sentence conditions

On 11 December 2025, Judge Fatima Ismoilova, Deputy Chair of Tashkent's Yunusabad District Criminal Court, ordered former Muslim prisoner of conscience Fazilkhoja Arifkhojayev to be transferred to restricted freedom - effective house arrest - for the rest of his original term. She set this remaining term as three years, ten months and seven days. This means the term is now due to end in October 2029.

The case was prepared by the Probation Department of Yunusabad District Police and endorsed by the District Prosecutor's Office.

Z. Abdujalilov, Assistant Prosecutor of Yunusabad District and Inspector Khursand Musayev of Yunusabad Probation Department, as well as Chief of the Probation Department Khasan (who did not give his last name in the Court), participated in the hearing.

Arifkhojayev: Banned from attending mosque, visiting relatives

The conditions for Fazilkhoja Arifkhojayev for the rest of his sentence, as specified in the Court decision (seen by Forum 18), mean that, among other restrictions, he is banned from:
- using the Internet or devices connected to the Internet (including social media and messenger channels such as Telegram and WhatsApp);
- participating in public events (holiday celebrations, demonstrations, rallies) including attending mosque;
- leaving the territory of Tashkent city.

The term will be counted from 11 December 2025 when it was announced in the Court, the family told Forum 18.

Chief of Yunusabad Probation Department Khasan threatened Arifkhojayev in the Court room: "Now you must not even eat in cafes or visit your relatives, otherwise we will send you back to prison," Arifkhojayev's family complained to Forum 18. Arifkhojayev "cannot talk to the media because this will be considered a violation", they added. "And the authorities warned that they will send him back to prison at any violation of the court-imposed regime."

The court decision warns that Arifkhojayev shall "serve the term of restriction of liberty at the address of his residence in Yunusabad District of Tashkent city". The court decision banned him from leaving his home "except for the time necessary for him to travel to and from his place of work".

Probation Department officials have visited Arifkhojayev in his home since the Court decision, the family told Forum 18. The officials told him that he must be in his home "between the early evening hours and early morning hours". When the officials were asked to specify the exact times, they told the family that they will tell them "when he finds a job".

Judge Ismoilova answered her phone on 12 January but as Forum 18 asked why she ordered Arifkhojayev to serve the rest of his term under house arrest, she put the phone down. She did not answer subsequent calls the same day.

Probation Officer Musayev also did not answer his phone multiple times between 17 December 2025 and 12 January.

Arifkhojayev: Medical records show he has serious medical condition

"He does not have to pay fines now but none of the family members work, and he will have difficulty to find a job now," Fazilkhoja Arifkhojayev's family lamented to Forum 18 on 12 January 2026. "Fazilkhoja has a wife and new-born child and they are dependent on him, and he still cannot find a job."

Despite his severe medical conditions, Arifkhojayev tried to find suitable jobs, the family complained. All his attempts failed because of his age, his criminal record and weak physical condition.

Arifkhojayev's medical records from 28 November 2025 provided by the family show that he has chronic hypertension and osteochondrosis. He also has problems with his spine, according to an MRI specialist opinion (seen by Forum 18), and muscle weakness in his limbs.

Ziyakhojayev: Fined for reposting religious video

A Tashkent city court fined another Muslim, Gayrat Ziyakhojayev, for reposting a video on his Facebook account of a sermon by an Imam, Hasankhon Yahyo Abdulmajid. The authorities recognise him as an official Imam of the state-controlled Muftiate (Muslim Board), and he regularly publishes materials on Youtube and a Telegram channel.

Shoykhontohur District Criminal Court found Ziyakhojayev guilty on 29 October 2025 under Administrative Code Article 184-2 ("Illegal production, storage, or import into Uzbekistan, with the intent to distribute or actual distribution, of religious materials"). The Judge fined him 8,240,000 Soms. This represents about one month's average wage in Tashkent.

Ziyakhojayev: Police obstruct attending appeal against fine

Judge Odil Ilkhomjonov of Tashkent City Criminal Court on 10 December 2025 heard the appeal brought by Gayrat Ziyakhojayev in his absence. The Court upheld the fine given to him by Shoykhontohur District Criminal Court on 29 October 2025.

Judge Ilkhomjonov refused to say why - in violation of procedure - he heard the appeal in Ziyakhojayev's absence. "I cannot tell you why. It is an internal matter. And if the defendant is unhappy, he can appeal against my decision," he told Forum 18 on 17 December 2025. He then refused to talk further.

Ziyakhojayev could not attend the hearing because early in the morning Police officer Jamshid (who refused to give his full name) called Ziyakhojayev's parents and told them that "I am Officer Jamshid, Chief of struggle against extremism and terrorism police of Shoykhontohur District", the family told Forum 18 on 10 December 2025. Officer Jamshid then instructed their son to come to Shoykhontohur Police Station for questioning.

In the early morning of 10 December, "several police officers were waiting outside their home, which is why Gayrat decided to wait until the officers left to go to the Court hearing.", his family told Forum 18 later that day.

"After the officers left at around 11 am, Gayrat went to the court for the hearing. But court officials told him that the hearing had already taken place in his absence. He was told that he should come back in three days to receive the written decision." Court officials did not specify what exact decision the Court made.

The family told Forum 18 that after his initial call, Chief Officer Jamshid tried to reach the parents again 38 times on 10 December 2025, but the parents did not answer the calls.

On 10 December Officer Jamshid answered Forum 18's call but refused to give his last name. Forum 18 asked if the police opened another case against Ziyakhojayev, why he called Ziyakhojayev's family so many times and why the police officers went to his home to take him to the police station while he should have gone to the Court for the hearing. "We are not opening a criminal against him and we just wanted to talk to him," Officer Jamshid claimed.

Officer Jamshid also adamantly denied that the police officers went to Ziyakhojayev's home to detain him. "You have totally wrong information." When Forum 18 insisted, asking why he refuses to give his full name, why he insisted that he must talk to Ziyakhojayev precisely at the time when he needed to go to the Court, and what exactly he wanted to talk to him about, he replied, "I am only a soldier of my chiefs. I cannot give you such information. You need to talk to them." Officer Jamshid refused to name any officials Forum 18 should talk to.

Parpiyev: Will detained former imam be extradited to Uzbekistan?

Police in the Turkish city of Istanbul arrested the former imam Fazliddin Shakhobidinovich Parpiyev (born 25 January 1986) at 2:30 am on 25 December 2025, Parpiyev's Facebook account noted the same day. The arrest came "at the request of Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Türkiye", it said.

The Facebook account noted on 4 January that Parpiyev was on the day of the arrest sent to a deportation centre in the capital Ankara. "He has been in custody for eleven days at the deportation centre in Ankara on fabricated charges, on the demand of the Uzbekistan authorities for his extradition to the country."

Parpiyev is a graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in Saudi Arabia, and of Tashkent's Islamic Institute named after Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari. A former Tashkent imam, he fled Uzbekistan in December 2018 "for my safety" after appealing to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev "as Muslims .. cannot have full freedom of religion and belief". He went to Turkey, where he received Turkish citizenship.

In 2025, the Russian authorities put Parpiyev on their Federal Wanted List at Uzbekistan's request. They removed him from the list after his detention in Turkey.

Earlier on 25 December the Facebook account noted that "Uzbekistan sent special agents [to Istanbul] after him [Parpiyev]." The agents "repeatedly approached Parpiyev and lied to him that if he asks for forgiveness [from President Mirziyoyev], he may be given a lenient punishment."

"According to reports, for months, Parpiyev was subjected to pressure, threats and blackmail by the Uzbek authorities. He was threatened that unless he returns to Uzbekistan for the investigation, the authorities will harm his family members."

A month earlier, Parpiyev was "acquitted after the first investigation under terrorism charges and [Turkish authorities] closed the case (..) Despite this decision, [the authorities] rearrested him under the same unfounded charges."

The Facebook account called for united efforts and action against Parpiyev's possible extradition to Uzbekistan.

"We are seriously concerned that if extradited to Uzbekistan, Parpiyev will face the risk of torture and imprisonment," the Facebook page noted. "In this regard, we call on international organisations to monitor this case and to call on the Turkish government to comply with its international human rights obligations, to ensure his freedom and security, and not to extradite him to Uzbekistan."

Nothing has been published on Parpiyev's Facebook account since 4 January 2026. Human rights defenders, who wished to remain unnamed for fear of state reprisals, told Forum 18 that Imam Parpiyev has not yet been extradited to Uzbekistan. (END)

More reports on freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Uzbekistan

For background information, see Forum 18's Uzbekistan religious freedom survey

Forum 18's compilation of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) freedom of religion or belief commitments

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