In the summer of 2024, a high-profile event took place in the quiet Suzak district of Kyrgyzstan. Two underage girls, members of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir group, publicly burned the national flag. This gesture was an open challenge to the authorities and a clear confirmation of the growing boldness of extremist groups. After that, the name of the group would appear quite often in criminal reports in the country.

In December 2024, Kyrgyzstan's security services announced the elimination of the group’s large propaganda network, and in February 2025, key leaders of the local branch were detained.

These events show that Hizb ut-Tahrir involves both adults and teenagers in its radical networks and is absolutely undaunted by anyone. This leads to questions: why is this happening and what can be done about it?

History and ideology: peaceful rhetoric with radical overtones

 

The organisation that was founded back in 1953 by the Palestinian theologian Takiuddin al-Nabhani formally declares its commitment to peaceful methods of struggle only. Its official goal is to establish a global Islamic state (caliphate). However, an analysis of Hizb ut-Tahrir's rhetoric and activities shows that its peaceful slogans conceal a radical ideology that consistently rejects secular laws, democratic institutions and the principle of nation-states. It is this duality that makes the organisation particularly dangerous: although formally not participating in terrorist attacks, it creates a breeding ground for extremism.

Fr om words to deeds: a disturbing escalation

The flag burning in Suzak was a symbolic turn in the organisation's tactics. Whereas Hizb ut-Tahrir had previously limited itself to relatively peaceful propaganda in mosques and social media, its supporters are now clearly moving to more decisive actions. According to the SCNS of Kyrgyzstan, in 2024 alone, about 8 million soms were collected through the organisation's extensive covert networks. It is not difficult to guess for what purposes the funds were collected and who eventually benefited fr om them.

The arrests of the leaders in February 2025 allowed the authorities to comprehend the true scale of the group's activities. It turned out that the group operated on the principle of a business corporation: from the professional recruitment of new members to the well-established production of banned literature. Of particular concern is the fact that minors are involved in the organisation's activities, which indicates a new stage in its development.

The main threats of Hizb ut-Tahrir to the region are as follows

1. “Soft” radicalisation as a stepping stone to extremism.

Although the organisation is not formally involved in terrorist attacks, its rhetoric about the “injustice of secular regimes” becomes the first stage for radicalisation of the population. Many researchers note that it is through such structures that people gradually come to more radical groups. 

2. Undermining national identity and statehood.

For the countries of Central Asia, wh ere the secular model of the state serves as a basis of stability, the activities of Hizb ut-Tahrir pose a particular danger. A striking example is Uzbekistan, wh ere large-scale repression of the organisation started after its growing popularity posed a real challenge to the authority of then-President Islam Karimov.

3. A social time mine.

The organisation works in a purposeful way with the most vulnerable segments of the population: unemployed youth, residents of the poorest areas and vulnerable people

Is a forceful response by the authorities effective?

For decades Central Asian countries have been trying to combat Hizb ut-Tahrir with extremely harsh methods: complete bans on its activities, long prison terms (up to 20 years), and persecution of sympathisers, even the casual ones. However, human rights organisations constantly indicate that such policies have a downside. 

 

In Uzbekistan, for example, dozens of people convicted for having ties to the organisation have died in prison under dubious circumstances. In Kyrgyzstan, many cases are based on shaky evidence, which only undermines public confidence in the judicial system. As analysts rightly point out, “repression without addressing the root causes is fuel for radicalism. It is poverty, corruption and social inequality that make the slogans of Hizb ut-Tahrir so attractive to certain segments of the population.”

Conclusion: between the rock and hard place

The flag burning in Suzak and the arrests that followed are only the visible part of the iceberg. “Hizb ut-Tahrir remains a unique “hybrid” threat: its peaceful rhetoric serves only as a cover for its true anti-state nature. To counter the organisation, a comprehensive approach is needed that would combine both special operations to suppress the group’s activities and deep social and economic reforms. As long as unemployment remains high in the region, especially among young people, and the level of trust to the authorities is low, there will be fertile soil for the spread of extremist ideas.”

 

The Central Asian countries face a difficult choice: whether to keep exerting pressure on the organisation by force, thereby risking radicalising new potential supporters, or to find a delicate balance between ensuring security and creating a just society. The future stability of the entire region largely depends on this choice. History shows that bans and repression alone cannot eradicate ideas that resonate with people. To truly defeat extremism, it is necessary to eliminate not only its manifestations, but also the root causes that led to its emergence. Time will tell whether the regional authorities will be able to find this difficult balance.