MIA spokesman: Spreading unverified info on wanted blogger may lead to prosecution

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Uzbekistan has officially declared Mubashshir Ahmad (Alisher Ahmadovich Tursunov), a religious scholar and blogger, as a wanted person. Ahmad, the founder of the Azon Global information and analytical portal, is the subject of an ongoing criminal case, sparking wide discussions on social media.

In response, MIA spokesman Shohrukh Giyasov has issued a warning to the public, stating that the dissemination of unconfirmed information about Ahmad could lead to legal consequences.

"We would like to inform you that a criminal case has indeed been initiated against citizen Tursunov Alisher Ahmadovich, born in 1974, by the Investigation Department of the Shaykhontohur District MIA under Article 244³ of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan. He has been officially declared wanted as a defendant in the case," Giyasov stated.

The MIA also urged citizens to report any information about Ahmad's whereabouts to the nearest law enforcement agencies or via the 102 emergency number.

The MIA emphasized that public dissemination of unverified or misleading information regarding Ahmad’s case could be considered interference with the investigation.

"We remind the public that spreading unconfirmed information about a person officially wanted in a criminal case, which may affect the comprehensive, complete, and impartial conduct of the investigation, could result in prosecution under Article 236 of the Criminal Code (Interference with the Investigation or Judicial Proceedings)," Giyasov warned.

It was previously reported that a technical error had been made when registering Ahmad's case in the Main Center for Legal Statistics and Operational-Accounting Information of the MIA. Initially, he was mistakenly charged under Article 244² of the Criminal Code (Establishment, leadership, or participation in religious extremist, separatist, or fundamentalist organizations). However, it was later clarified that Ahmad is charged under Article 244³ (Illegal preparation, storage, import, or distribution of materials of religious content).