Fazilhoja Arifhojaev
Muslim blogger and social-media commentator, known for online criticism of government policies related to religion and freedom of belief.
Initially sentenced to a long prison term, he was released from formal imprisonment in December 2023 and placed under a parole-like house arrest regime. However, he remains subject to restrictions and monitored by authorities.
Uzbek authorities prosecuted Arifhojaev under Article 244-1 part 3 of the Criminal Code for “producing, distributing or displaying materials containing a threat to public security and public order via mass media or telecommunications (including the Internet).” This stemmed from his Facebook posts and comments about religious observances and criticism of state religious policies. He was initially also held briefly on petty hooliganism charges under Article 183 before the criminal case was opened.
On January 26, 2022, the Olmazor District Criminal Court in Tashkent convicted him on the Article 244-1 charges and sentenced him to 7 years and 6 months’ imprisonment. The conviction was upheld on appeal. The court’s case centered on his reposting and commentary on a social post that questioned whether Muslims should congratulate non-Muslims on religious holidays — a post rights groups regarded as innocuous exercise of expression.
Arifhojaev served most of his sentence in prison before being moved in December 2023 to a house-arrest-style regime(a parole-like sentence) that effectively keeps him confined at home under official supervision rather than in a traditional correctional facility.
While imprisoned, Arifhojaev’s health reportedly deteriorated significantly. He was documented to have hernias, heart-related issues, and dental problems, and his family reported that he was denied adequate medical care while in custody. There are also reports of torture and ill-treatment in detention, including being forced into stress positions and solitary confinement, which exacerbated his health problems.
