REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF REPRESSION POLICY: THE CASE OF UZBEKISTAN

Аннотация

This article examines the regional dimensions of Soviet repression policies, with a specific focus on Uzbekistan. While Soviet political terror followed a centrally orchestrated plan, the implementation of repressive measures across various Soviet republics, including Uzbekistan, reflected unique local dynamics. Through archival records, case studies, and historical analysis, the paper highlights how repression in Uzbekistan targeted local elites, religious figures, and intellectuals, and was shaped by the broader imperial objectives of Moscow. The study also investigates the cultural and social consequences of repression in the Uzbek SSR and its enduring impact onnational memory. Keywords: repression, Uzbekistan, Stalinism, Soviet Union, political purges, regional policy, NKVD, national elites Repression under Stalin's totalitarian regime was a defining feature of Soviet governance, marked by widespread arrests, executions, and the silencing of dissent. While the scope of this terror was vast and centralized, its execution was often tailored to regional contexts. In the case of Uzbekistan, repression took on unique characteristics influenced by cultural, religious, and political factors. Located at the heart of Central Asia, Uzbekistan became a strategic region for the Soviet Union’s ideological and geopolitical agenda. From the 1920s to the late 1930s, thousands of Uzbeks— particularly those considered representatives of national identity or Islamic tradition—were labeled as “counter-revolutionaries,” “nationalists,” or “clerical elements.” This paper explores how the Soviet repression policy operated in Uzbekistan, how it aligned with central directives, andhowit was localized to serve broader goals of cultural assimilationand political control. The Soviet leadership’s goal of building a unified socialist identity often clashed with the cultural and religious diversity of regions like Uzbekistan. Moscow’s perception of local traditions, particularly those rooted in Islam and pre-Soviet forms of intellectualism, was shaped by suspicion and the desire to erase "backward" elements in favor of Marxist-Leninist ideology. As a result, political repression in Uzbekistan functioned not only as a mechanism of control but also as aform ofideological and cultural homogenization. The campaign against the Jadids and religious figures was accompanied by a broader effort to restructure the social order: traditional authority figures were replaced by party loyalists, local http://www.internationaljournal.co.in/index.php/jasass 833 Volume 15Issue 06, June 2025 Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023: 6.995, 2024 7.75 governance was centralized, and youth were targeted for ideological re-education. This systemic dismantling of traditional Uzbek society under the guise of modernization formed a core pillar of Sovietrepression intheregion. In exploring the repression of Uzbekistan within the broader Soviet context, this article seeks to clarify how local dynamics both influenced and intensified the effects of centrally planned purges. The case of Uzbekistan is particularly important for understanding how totalitarian poweradapts itstools to suppress national identity whilemaintainingimperial control. Thestudy employs ahistorical-analytical method using thefollowing sources:  Archival data from the Uzbek State Archives and the Qatag‘on Qurbonlari Xotirasi Muzeyi (Museum ofRepression Victims);  Case studies of prominent repressed figures, such as Abdurauf Fitrat, Abdullah Qodiriy, andothermembers oftheJadid movement;  Comparative analysis of repression patterns in Uzbekistan and other Soviet republics (e.g., Kazakhstan, Ukraine);  Literature review of scholarly works on Soviet colonialism, religious repression, and political purges inCentral Asia. This mixed-method approach allows for a nuanced view of both the systemic and regional aspects ofrepression. Targeting of national intellectuals: One of the key features of repression in Uzbekistan was the elimination of the national intelligentsia, particularly the Jadids — reformist thinkers who advocated for modern Islamic education and cultural revival. They were accused of “bourgeois nationalism” and collaboration withforeign enemies. Religiouspersecution: Uzbekistan, as atraditionally Muslim region, saw thewidespread closure of mosques, madrasas, and the execution or imprisonment of religious scholars (ulama). The campaign aimed to erase Islamic influence and replace it withSoviet atheism. Forced deportations and collectivization: Repression also took the form of economic and social upheaval. The collectivization of agriculture, especially in the cotton sector, led to mass displacements, famine, and arrests of kulaks and local leaders who resisted policy implementation. Ethnic and cultural suppression: Uzbek language publications were censored or shut down, and Russian was increasingly imposed as the language of administration and education. T