Uzbekistan: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
Even in revised draft legislation, religious communities are still required to register through the government and any unregistered religious activity is considered criminal. Many non-Muslim religious minority communities, such as Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Protestants, have been unable to be officially registered by the state. In addition, some thousands of individuals remain incarcerated for the peaceful practice of their religion or beliefs, and the government has yet to review and reopen the cases of many prisoners charged on vague or spurious allegations of “religious extremism.”
Mar 11, 2021
There have been notable improvements to religious freedom conditions in Uzbekistan in recent years. The government’s ongoing effort to revise the restrictive 1998 Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations demonstrates progress. Nevertheless, significant challenges to religious freedom in the country still remain.
Even in revised draft legislation, religious communities are still required to register through the government and any unregistered religious activity is considered criminal. Many non-Muslim religious minority communities, such as Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Protestants, have been unable to be officially registered by the state. In addition, some thousands of individuals remain incarcerated for the peaceful practice of their religion or beliefs, and the government has yet to review and reopen the cases of many prisoners charged on vague or spurious allegations of “religious extremism.”
This week, USCIRF Senior Policy Analyst Keely Bakken joins us to discuss progress that the government of Uzbekistan has made, and the challenges that remain.
Featuring:
Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRF
Keely Bakken, Senior Policy Analyst, USCIRF
Read USCIRF’s 2020 Annual Report Chapter on Uzbekistan
Read USCIRF’s report on Global Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses