Baxtiyor Rahimov (Russified form ''Bakhtiyar Rahimov'' is also used; russian: Бахтия́р Раги́мов) (born c. 1963) is a
rebel
A rebel is a participant in a rebellion.
Rebel or rebels may also refer to:
People
* Rebel (given name)
* Rebel (surname)
* Patriot (American Revolution), during the American Revolution
* American Southerners, as a form of self-identification; s ...
leader in
Uzbekistan who advocates an
Islamic republic
The term Islamic republic has been used in different ways. Some Muslim religious leaders have used it as the name for a theoretical form of Islamic theocratic government enforcing sharia, or laws compatible with sharia. The term has also been u ...
. He is currently being held by the Uzbek government.
Little is known of Rahimov's background prior the
protests and
government attacks in
Uzbekistan in May 2005. He had apparently been a farmer and resident of
Qorasuv
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, pushpin_map = Uzbekistan
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, a small town on the border with
Kyrgyzstan.
After a series of protests and reprisals centered in
Andijan, a provincial capital some from Qorasuv, thousands of Uzbeks stormed the border town in attempt to flee the country. On approximately May 13, 2005, Rahimov and persons loyal to him seized control of Qorasuv.
Rahimov announced plans to form an
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
ic state in place of what are now Central Asian countries. He gave an interview with the
Associated Press while seated on horseback, during which he was quoted as saying
"We will be building an Islamic state here in accordance with the Quran" and citing his goals of reaching
Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, "and the rest of the world". The AP report indicated that, as of May 17, no Uzbek military forces were present in the area, but contained only speculation as to the numbers of Rahimov's followers. Rahimov stated, "We don't have weapons, but if they come and attack us we will fight even with knives."
On May 18, 2005, Rahimov was captured by government forces after minimal resistance. Also arrested were Rahimov's 14-year-old son and around twenty other people who may or may not have ties to him. The occupation of Qorasuv appears to have eliminated the last pocket of resistance stemming from the
May, 2005 protests. Despite the release of most of those arrested, protests demanding freedom for Rahimov continued on May 19 and 20 alongside a heavy military presence.
References
External links
Uzbekistan's local rebel - BBC report
Uzbekistani politicians
Year of birth uncertain
1960s births
Living people
Uzbekistani prisoners and detainees
Prisoners and detainees of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistani Muslims
Uzbekistani Islamists
{{Uzbekistan-bio-stub