Alisher Tursunov
Independent Islamic scholar, cleric, religious media founder, and commentator. He established and led Azon New Mediaand later Azon Global, online platforms combining religious content, social commentary, radio and video intended for Uzbek-language audiences.
As of early 2026, Tursunov is imprisoned, serving a 2½-year sentence, and has been moved for health treatment due to serious medical conditions. He was serving time in Penal Colony No. 5 in the Qiziltepa district (Navoi region) and later transferred to a specialized medical facility in Tashkent for evaluation and care.
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Article 244-3: Illegal preparation, storage, import or distribution of religious materials.
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Article 244-1: Production, storage, distribution, or display of materials threatening public security and public order.
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Article 156: Incitement of national, racial, ethnic, or religious enmity.
Prosecutors also framed other counts as spreading content that threatens public security and incites religious hostility; authorities used online publications and religious commentary as the basis for these charges.
Tursunov’s trial began in August 2025 in a Tashkent court and included at least four separate hearings with procedural delays. Expert witnesses provided theological and political analysis of his publications, and parts of the proceedings were closed to audio/photo/video recording despite being technically “open.” The prosecution sought much harsher sentences, but the court ultimately sentenced him to 2½ years’ imprisonment on 8 October 2025. Social media pages and channels he managed were ordered to be blocked.
After conviction, a court order took effect forbidding him from operating Azon Global or related media channels. He was taken to a general-regime penal colony — identified in reports as Penal Colony No. 5 (Qiziltepa district, Navoi region) — to serve his sentence. Due to deteriorating health, in February 2026 he was transferred to a specialized medical facility (“Sangorod” in Tashkent) for detailed examination and treatment.
Multiple credible reports detail serious health issues: he has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ischemic heart disease (stable angina), arthrosis of the left leg, severe leg swelling and ulcers, and other complications. Lawyers report his medication and care within the regular prison setting have been inadequate, with his health problems worsening over time. His condition has been assessed by authorities as serious enough to potentially interrupt the continuation of his prison sentence. In early 2026, medical evaluations were underway at the specialized facility.
