Based on reports of the case, it seems to be an all-too-familiar pattern of online indoctrination and radicalization.
74-year-old E. Khasanov, an Uzbek citizen residing in Samarkand, was sentenced to 3 years of restricted freedom, including a mandatory curfew, a ban on changing his place of residence without permission, and restrictions prohibiting him from leaving Samarkand region. Khasanov has also been banned from using the internet.
Citing the case materials, Gazeta.uz and Kun.uz reported that as a member of a Telegram group titled “Uzbek SSR/USSR” Khasanov posted that “the independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan is superficial, that the former Soviet Union has not officially disintegrated yet, that 15 republics that were part of it arbitrarily declared their independence with the help of the United States, and that the former Soviet republics will soon return and become part of the USSR.
They arrested some random old guy for being apart of some niche telegram group with 12 members. Very sad 😢
It’s worth noting that in March 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine reported that it had “prevented new attempts by the Russian special services to destabilize the socio-political situation in Ukraine” by neutralizing “underground cells” belonging to the “Communist Party of the Soviet Union.” The Security Service said these groups had attempted “to create an extensive network” of committees throughout Ukraine, targeting “former and active soldiers who started their service during the Soviet Union” to form these cells. The Ukrainian authorities named Shchipkov’s group – the “Central Committee of the Bolsheviks” – as being behind efforts to set up branches of the committee across Ukraine and noted that Telegram was used to distribute instructions.
I remember that Russia had a bunch of these guys who went around an harassed Russian cops by showing them Soviet Passports and asking why they're serving on the territory of the USSR and stuff like that.
People think Communism was some crazy idea that had its comeuppance 40 years ago. A fever that shook the world, never to return again. They were right. Until he woke up today – a spiritual corpse responsive only to the call of Commodore Red, prostitutes, and Kras Mazov. For him, Communism is still a thing. He will single-handedly raise the Commune of '02 from the oceanic trench where it has been resting, covered in ghosts and seaweed! He is the Big Communism Builder. Come, witness his attempt to rebuild Communism in the year '24!
I believe he was arrested because the actual communist party of Uzbekstan has been banned since 1994, and the real communist party became a cringe socdem party.