UZBEKISTAN: Religious Freedom Survey, August 2008
Dear HumanDHS Friends!
Comment : Dr. Lynch: From Article:
“Unregistered Muslim religious activity has mainly been punished under Criminal Code Articles 159 “attempts to change the constitutional order”; 242 “organisation of a criminal society” and Article 156. This article bans “acts intended to humiliate ethnic honour and dignity, insult the religious or atheistic feelings of individuals, carried out with the purpose of inciting hatred, intolerance, or divisions on a national, ethnic, racial, or religious basis, as well as the explicit or implicit limitation of rights or preferences on the basis of national, racial, or ethnic origin, or religious beliefs.” This article has also been used against religious minorities.”
Start of Article:
UZBEKISTAN: Religious freedom survey, August 2008
By Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service , and
John Kinahan, Forum 18 News Service
In its survey analysis of religious freedom in Uzbekistan, Forum 18 News Service has found continuing violations by the state of freedom of thought, conscience and belief. Amongst many serious violations – which breach the country’s international human rights commitments - non-state registered religious activity is a criminal offence, as is the sharing of beliefs and meetings for religious purposes in private homes. Religious communities are raided with impunity and their members threatened, assaulted and even tortured. Prisoner of conscience numbers are increasing. The state continues to actively promote religious hatred and intolerance through the state-controlled mass media. Members of religious communities complain that trials are often conducted unfairly. Oppressive laws are symptomatic of oppressive official attitudes, and state officials do not appear to acknowledge any restraints on their actions. The state seeks to completely control all religious activity – by Muslims and religious minorities such as Christians, Baha’is, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jews and Hare Krishna devotees - through a web of laws, NSS secret police agents, censorship and the activities of public agencies such as local administrations.