Akromiya (sometimes referred to as ''Akramiya'', ) is an Islamist organization founded by Akrom Yo‘ldoshev. Akromiya broke away from

Hizb ut-Tahrir Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT; ) is an international pan-Islamist and Islamic fundamentalist political organization whose stated aim is the re-establishment of the Islamic caliphate to unite the Muslim community (called ''ummah'') and implement sharia glo ...

, a

terrorist Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of violence against non-combatants to achieve political or ideological aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violence during peacetime or in the context of war aga ...

organization according to the Kazakhstan government, when Akrom Yo‘ldoshev formed Akromiya in the

Fergana Valley The Fergana Valley (also commonly spelled the Ferghana Valley) in Central Asia crosses eastern Uzbekistan, southern Kyrgyzstan and northern Tajikistan. Encompassing three former Republics of the Soviet Union, Soviet republics, the valley is e ...

area in Uzbekistan in 1996. The Uzbek Government says Yo‘ldoshev's pamphlet ''Iymonga Yul'' (Way to Faith) criticizes HT's goal of creating an international

caliphate A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...

for impracticality. Yo‘ldoshev argues in favor of creating an

Islamic state The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...

on a local level instead.Hizb ut-Tahrir faces internal split in Central Asia
EurasiaNetIslamic group bides time on the sidelines of Kyrgyzstan's revolution
EurasiaNetInventing Akromiya: the role of Uzbek propagandists in the Andijon massacre
Demokratizatsiya Muhammad Sadik Muhammad Yusuf, the former Chief Mufti of Uzbekistan, said, "Akromiya has nothing in common with Hizb-ut-Tahrir, and other radical political Islamic organisations. It is for entirely different reasons that I consider Akrom Yo‘ldoshev's teaching a heresy." Yusuf says Yo‘ldoshev teaches that Muslims do not have to pray five times daily or fast during

Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (''Fasting in Islam, sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed ...

.Uzbekistan: What is known about Akramia and the uprising?
Forum 18

Sarah Kendzior Sarah Kendzior (born September 1, 1978) is an American author, anthropologist, researcher, and scholar. Kendzior is the author of ''The View from Flyover Country'' – a collection of essays first published by Al Jazeera – and is a former co-h ...

, a scholar of Central Asia writing in the journal '' Demokratizatsiya'', cast doubt on the group's existence, arguing that the Uzbek government created the organization to justify putting down the

2005 civil unrest in Uzbekistan On 13 May 2005, protests erupted in Andijan, Uzbekistan. At one point, troops from the Uzbek National Security Service (SNB) fired into a crowd of protesters. Estimates of those killed on 13 May range from 187, the official count of the governme ...

Andijan massacre

Forum 18 Forum 18 is a Norwegian human rights organization that promotes religious freedom. The organization's name is based on Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Forum 18 summarizes the article as: *The right to believe, to worship ...

, a

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

organization based in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

, reported that during the

Andijan massacre On 13 May 2005, protests erupted in Andijan, Uzbekistan. At one point, troops from the Uzbek National Security Service (SNB) fired into a crowd of protesters. Estimates of those killed on 13 May range from 187, the official count of the governme ...

members of Akromiya "who had acquired weapons did not prevent free movement out of the square by those gathered there, but their attitude to the hostages did not meet international standards for the treatment of prisoners of war. Forum 18 learnt that several hostages received severe beatings. The hostages had wire tied round their necks and were placed at the perimeter of the square as human shields. Therefore the first to die from the shots fired by Uzbek government forces were the hostages."

References

{{reflist

External links

Radio Free EuropeOutline of what is known about Akramia and the Andijan eventsAnalysis of whether the May 2005 Andijan events changed state religious policy in the year followingUzbek soldiers fire at Akramiya in AndijonBBC articleHizb ut-Tahrir faces internal split in Central Asia
Islam in Uzbekistan Islamist groups Politics of Uzbekistan

Andijan massacre

See also

References

External links