Akrom Yoʻldoshev

Akrom Yoldoshev or Akramjon Yoldoshev or Akram Yuldashev (Russian: Акрам Юлдашев; Uzbek: Акром Йўлдошев; Akram Yuldashev; June 25, 1963 – 2010/2011) was the founder of Akromiya, an Islamist organization that operates in Uzbekistan. The Uzbek government has designated and banned Akromiya as a terrorist.

Early life

Yoldoshev was a native of Andijan, Uzbekistan and was trained as an engineer. He worked as a math teacher and for a furniture company in Andijan, before forming Akromiya. In 1992 he published Iymonga Yul, a pamphlet advocating Islamic values that gained him support among the populace. Uzbek police arrested him in April, 1998 for possession of narcotics. A court sentenced him to 30 months imprisonment, but the government released him in December 1998 due to an amnesty. Alisher Ilkhamov, an Uzbek who is a sociologist at the University of London, said "The government perceives any grass-roots movement with hostility, whether it's Islamic or not".

Family

His wife, Yodgoroy Yoldosheva, has lived in Boise, Idaho, United States along with 52 other refugees since the Andijan massacre in May 2005. Yoldoshev has appeared on state-run television three times, apologizing for encouraging the unrest and telling refugees they should return to Uzbekistan. Yoldosheva herself has asked the Uzbek government for permission to return, but has not yet received an answer. His wife has denied Yoldoshev had any ties to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a militant organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda, or Hizb ut-Tahrir, another Islamist organization.