Uzbekistan's State Security Service (DXX) announced on November 7 that a court in the city of Qoqon sentenced 11 individuals to prison terms ranging from six to 12 years for terrorism-related offenses. They were convicted on charges including financing terrorism, plotting to change the constitutional system, and possessing materials threatening public safety. The individuals were accused of promoting extremist ideologies between 2021 and 2023 at regular gatherings disguised as social events, called "Saturday dinners," at local teahouses. The discussions reportedly focused on jihad and the creation of an Islamic state. The case is part of government efforts to combat religious extremism, particularly in Qoqon, located in the ethnically diverse and historically volatile Ferghana Valley. The region has been a hot spot of both domestic and transnational Islamist groups, raising concerns about local instability and the spread of extremist ideologies. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service, click here.
