Editing Politics of Uzbekistan (section)

==Crackdown on Islamic fundamentalism==
The government severely represses those it suspects of Islamic extremism. Some 6,000 suspected members of [[Hizb ut-Tahrir#Uzbekistan|Hizb ut-Tahrir]] are among those incarcerated, and some are believed to have died over the past several years from prison disease, torture, and abuse. With few options for religious instruction, some young Muslims have turned to underground Islamic movements. The police force and the SNB use torture as a routine investigation technique. The government has begun to bring to trial some officers accused of torture. Four police officers and three SNB officers have been convicted.

The government has granted amnesties to political and non-political prisoners, but this was believed to have benefited only a small proportion of those detained. In 2002 and the beginning of 2003 the government arrested fewer suspected Islamic fundamentalists than in the past. However, in May 2005, hundreds were killed by police in a [[Andijan massacre|massacre]] of protesters in the city of [[Andijan]]. This sparked the interest in online debate over the subject in different countries as it was not allowed to be discussed in the country. This led to the departure of other critics in fear of jail time or censorship.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kendzior |first=Sarah |date=2011 |title=Digital distrust: Uzbek cynicism and solidarity in the Internet Age |url=https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1548-1425.2011.01323.x |journal=American Ethnologist |language=en |volume=38 |issue=3 |pages=559–575 |doi=10.1111/j.1548-1425.2011.01323.x |issn=1548-1425}}</ref>

In a move welcomed by the international community, the government of Uzbekistan has ended prior censorship, though the media remain tightly controlled.

In the modern era the government still detains and punishes the believers of Islam. According to the report of the U.S Department of State along with sources from Radio Free Europe written in 2023, Uzbekistan continues its offensive against people who teach or read certain books. This also counts for women who wear clothes that cover their eyes called burkas and also forced to shave their beard if its longer than a certain amount. During the month of Ramadan the country was found to punish fasting prisoners by threatening them to be put in worse conditions while at the same time not providing the morning meal for fasting.