In Andijan region, a dangerous incident among school students has drawn the attention of law enforcement authorities. It was revealed that in the Shahrikhan district, a group of classmates held religious discussions on social networks, talking about “martyrdom” and “jihad.” This was officially reported by the regional Department of Internal Affairs.
According to reports, a student born in 2007 fell under the influence of international terrorist organizations operating in Syria and other unstable countries through banned religious websites. He created groups called “Ahli Sunna Editlar” on Instagram and Telegram, identifying himself as “Abu Bakr.”
He added eight classmates to this group, with whom he discussed topics such as “jihad,” “martyrdom,” and “fighting for faith.” During these conversations, the teenagers took religious nicknames and even discussed traveling abroad to join armed groups.
Law enforcement authorities quickly intervened and placed their activities under control. According to investigators, the youths were influenced by certain foreign extremist channels attempting to indoctrinate them with “jihadist” ideas.
As a result of special operations in Andijan region, the group’s activities were stopped. Law enforcement prevented the minors from leaving the country and joining terrorist organizations abroad.
A criminal case has been opened under Articles 244¹ (Part 3, Clause “g”) and 244² (Part 2) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Investigations have begun, and each group member is being individually questioned.
Experts emphasize that this case once again highlights how dangerous religious extremist ideas spread through the Internet can be. Today, cybersecurity and control over information space are the shared responsibility of the state, parents, and teachers.
Psychologists note that such incidents can be prevented through continuous dialogue with youth, monitoring their online activity, and improving religious literacy.
At present, the investigation’s legal conclusions are awaited. Experts stress that preventive and educational work must be strengthened since virtual threats can lead to real consequences.
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