Media Release
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful Protest Against Russian Oppression of Muslims

Russian repression of Muslims within its territories has reached new levels of intensity and audacity. Russian security officials are targeting Muslims in general and members of Islamic groups such as Hizb ut Tahrir in particular and subjecting them to extra-legal harassment, arrest, and torture. Occurring throughout Russia, these practices are most pronounced in the region of Bashkortostan.

An example is what took place in Sibay on 21 October 2011, when the homes of six Muslim men were raided. The men were detained and cruelly tortured for 12 hours. The Russian officers covered their heads with bags and then bashed their heads using polypropylene pipes, and stifled them with gas masks. They stripped them of their trousers and then severely beat their backsides, threatening them with rape. The officers ripped out and burned their beards and perpetrated similar brutalities, as a result of which one of the men had four of his ribs fractured.

In light of this repression, Hizb ut Tahrir in Australia sent a delegation to the Russian Consulate in Sydney last Thursday, 17 November 2011, to deliver a letter and message of condemnation. The delegation was coldly received by a consulate officer who refused to give any time to listen or receive the letter, insisting that it simply be left in the mailbox, which it subsequently was.

In making sure that our message is heard loud and clear against this oppression, a protest will be held this week outside the Consulate.

Uthman Badar, Media Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia, said,

"Not withstanding the arrogance of Russian officials in Sydney who are unwilling to hear criticism of the barbaric regime they represent, we will make sure they receive our message loud and clear through this protest. Muslims in Australia, and around the world, strongly condemn Russia's continued targeting of Muslims."

"In spite of presenting a new face of civilisation and progress to the world, the ‘new' Russia of Medvedev and Putin continues to use barbaric tactics of repression and extra-legal measures whenever expedient. The use of the pretext of fighting terrorism to target and silence Muslims is old and lame. Russia does not fool anyone by its cheap tactics."

"Russia should not take advantage of the fact that the current regimes in the Muslim World are all lackeys of the West that do not care for the welfare of Muslims around the world. The time when these regimes will be relegated to the dustbin of history and replaced with the Caliphate is near, as indicated also by the recent uprisings in the Muslim World. The excesses that Russia commits now will not be forgotten and the Caliphate will deal with those who oppress Muslims swiftly and severely."

Protest Details:
Date: Saturday 26 November 2011
Time: 11am
Place: Outside Russian Consulate, 7 Fullerton St, Woollahra, Sydney

Contact: Uthman Badar, Media Representative, on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0438 000 465.