Violations of Religious Liberty in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is among the 11 countries with the worst records of discrimination and persecution against Christians worldwide, according to research by Nina Shea of Freedom House (New York Times, 11 February 1997 editorial). While the 1992 Uzbek law on religion forbids missionary activity (Article 3, Part 1), it does grant citizens and religious organizations the right "to acquire and use religious literature in their own language" (Article 21, Part 1); "to produce, export, import, and use religious literature" Article 21, Part 3); and "to confess any religion or to confess none" (Article 3, Part 1).  Nevertheless, Uzbek authorities are increasingly violating provisions of the current Uzbek law on religion.

• After assisting tens of thousands of people, Mission of Mercy, a Christian relief agency,was forced to suspend its activities in December 1995 because of government pressure.  The U.S. Congressional Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe reports Uzbek officials have threatened director Olga Avetisova with her life if she persists in her religious and charitable work.

 
• In June 1994 Uzbek authorities canceled the registration of the Word of Faith Church in Tashkent, one of the largest Protestant congregations in the country.  Police arrested  Pastor Dennis Podorozhny on 25 September 1996.  For "teaching religious beliefs without a government permit," this Uzbek citizen was fined three months' salary.  Continuing harassment of worshipers culminated in a second arrest of Podorozhny and the arrest of 63 other members of his congregation on 18 November 1996. All were released the same night except Podorozhny and his assistant, Lev Folkovich, who were imprisoned for 12 and 10 days each.  Compass Direct (6 December 1996) reported that "Secret police officials in Tashkent have summoned other Christian workers in the city for interrogation, threatening them with fines, imprisonment, and even death for trying to do missionary work among the Uzbek population, who are traditional, if nominal, Muslims."

 
• On 25 January 1997 the Bible Society of Uzbekistan officially registered in September 1994, received a shipment of 25,000 Uzbek New Testaments from the Russian Bible Society (the publisher) and the Turkish Bible Society (the printer).  Uzbek customs officials detained, and then on 28 February, confiscated the shipment, based on a decision of the Uzbek Council of Religious Affairs that the delivery constituted missionary activity.  Several unconfirmed reports have reached the East-West Church & Ministry Report that the government plans to destroy the Bibles.

 
• Tashkent police and KGB broke up an unregistered Full Gospel Church service on Budyonnogo Street on 2 March 1997; a second indigenous Uzbek Full Gospel congregation has also been forcibly disbanded; and a Slavic Evangelical Christian-Baptist church in Sergeli has been threatened with deregistration for permitting unregistered Korean believers use of their building.

 
• The trial of 20-year-old Rashid Turibayev was under way in April 1997 in the Uzbek city of Nuksus, Karapalpak region, south of the Aral Sea, for leading an "unsanctioned" Full Gospel congregation.  Authorities denied the church's application for registration in December 1995, and a year later Turibayev endured a month's confinement in a psychiatric hospital. Local minister of justice F. F. Pizanov is reported to have vowed, "not a single Karakalpak church will ever get registered."  Serious harassment of Protestants also is reported in the Karakalpak cities of Kungrad, Kegeili, and Karauzyak.

 
• Uzbekistan is a party to the Helsinki Accords, which requires signatory states to guarantee their citizens freedom of assembly and worship.  The Uzbek government currently is in violation not only of the Helsinki agreements, but of its own law on religion.  Two open appeals to President Islam Karimov by Uzbek Christian leaders in June 1994 and November 1996 have gone unanswered.

 
• Letters of concern may be faxed to Tashkent to the office of the president of Uzbekistan at 3712-39-53-04 and to the Uzbek Ministry of Justice at 3712-33-64-42.

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© 1997 Institute for East-West Christian Studies
ISSN 1069-5664