The provincial Ombudsperson conducted a monitoring visit to Penal Colony No. 5 in the Navoi province, where religious figure, Alisher Tursunov, a.k.a. Mubashshir Akhmad, is being held, the Ombudsperson's press service said.

The day before, his lawyer, Abdulloh Sodiq said that Alisher Tursunov had been struggling with insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes for many years, suffers from arthrosis, and angina, and cannot be held in prison. A letter received by the lawyer at the prison confirmed his illnesses and stated that the prisoner had received outpatient treatment three times in November—on November 5-6, 10-14, and 24-30. However, at a meeting with his lawyer on December 26, Tursunov stated that he had only undergone a medical examination and had not received any treatment or medication. Abdulloh Sodiq noted that the prison, aware of Tursunov's health condition, which he described as "critical," was sending him to work 16-hour shifts in the cold at a brick factory in Kyzyltepa district.

The Ombudsperson's Office stated that a representative met with the prisoner and reviewed his medical records. "Alisher Tursunov noted that he has no complaints about the medical care provided at the facility, regularly undergoes a full medical examination, has some health issues related to existing illnesses, and receives the necessary medical care," the statement read.

The Ombudsperson's Office noted that Tursunov voluntarily worked in the facility's canteen, was not required to work overtime, and that the working conditions complied with occupational health regulations.

"He has no complaints about the food or living conditions. During the face-to-face talk, Alisher Tursunov did not make any inquiries regarding any issues," the Ombudsperson's office added. They added that the prisoner also failed to convey any inquiries to the Ombudsperson's representative during his visits to the prison in November and December.

Alisher Tursunov was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison in October 2025. He was found guilty of committing crimes under three articles of the Criminal Code, including inciting religious hatred and illegally distributing religious materials.

At the end of 2023, Tursunov was detained in Istanbul and placed in a deportation center. He was released in February 2024. It was then reported that the Uzbek Ministry of Internal Affairs had placed Tursunov on the wanted list. In May, he was detained again and deported to Uzbekistan.