Press Release
The Tyrant of Uzbekistan Forces Women in Ferghana Markets to Remove their Khimars
(Translated)

Some sources stated in Radio Azadliq that the personnel of the National Security Apparatus in civilian clothes asked the women in the city of Kokand and the city of Margilan in Uzbekistan to take off their headscarves. The headscarves were removed from the women's heads by force. This dreadful crime began the morning of 22/4/2015. A witness who did not disclose his name to the radio said that women were forced to take off their headscarves, and whoever opposed this was threatened by the civil police of imprisonment or to be transferred into the police court, resulting in the absence of women who are wearing the headscarves, be they salespersons or shoppers in the market. An eyewitness said "Men cried and I cried too when I saw elderly women remove their headscarves!"

The rulers of Central Asia are mere puppets contending with each other in the war against Islam and Muslims. They are working to please their masters the Kuffar of Russia and America instead of working to gain the pleasure of Allah Almighty... As if it is not enough for them to carry out the persecution and pursuing of the Dawah carriers, incarcerating them with severe sentences, torture and even killing them in cold blood as we can see from Karimov the tyrant of Uzbekistan, who is spiteful against Islam. Their hatred has extended to Muslim women, the chaste and honourable women; they hunted them down and threw them into prisons and tortured them, some were martyred like their brother counterparts ... and now here they are pursuing them due to their dress, the Islamic symbol which they want to remove by force, which indicates their real deep-seated hatred of Islam.

Since the beginning of 2012, the sale of headscarves and jilbabs was banned in Uzbekistan; covered women were banned entry into public institutions; and fines were imposed on covered women that are equal to a seven-month salary. They also face suspension of their work contract, as well as prohibition of wearing black colored jilbabs in Uzbekistan. In addition, the Khimar and jilbab have been banned in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

O Muslims of Central Asia, especially the men amongst you: how can you accept the removal of jilbabs from your mothers, daughters, sisters and wives while you are the protective Muslims! Did you know that women are an honour that must be protected! How can you be satisfied with the rule of the corrupt democracy that hunts down the covered women and allows the display of beauty of the immodest women! Is it not time to overthrow the corrupt regime and establish the rightly guided Khilafah "Caliphate" state on the method of the Prophethood!

The only way to change the evil is the way shown to us by our Prophet Muhammad (saw), which Hizb ut Tahrir, the pioneer that does not lie to its people adopts and in which we invite you to work with for this fundamental change, as Allah Azza wa Jal commanded you.

(قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّه فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمْ اللَّه وَيَغْفِر لَكُمْ ذُنُوبكُمْ)

"Say: If you love Allah then follow me, Allah will love and will forgive your sins" [Al-i-Imran: 31]

O rulers of Central Asia, we want to remind you that you are the descendants of the Muslims whose ancestors embraced Islam as their Deen and did not abandon it with the arrival of the colonizing Kaffir, rather they were steadfast upon it, defended it, and died for it. Do not be like those whom Allah (swt) described as:

(وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ) "And he whosoever does not judge with what Allah has revealed, they are the disbelievers." [Al-Ma'ida: 44] But be like the ones as described in His (swt) saying:

(وَأَنِ احْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءهُمْ وَاحْذَرْهُمْ أَن يَفْتِنُوكَ عَن بَعْضِ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ)

"And judge between them by that which Allah has revealed and beware lest they distract you from some of which was revealed to you." [Al-Ma'ida: 49]

Women's Section
in The Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir