Large Fines for ‘Illegal’ Religious Literature in Uzbekistan
ICC Note: Authorities in Uzbekistan continue their campaign to strip away religious freedoms by imposing fines, raiding homes and, confiscating religious literature. These actions have been directed at Christians as well as other religious groups, including Muslims and Jehovah’s Witnesses. As the number of people imprisoned, homes raided, and fines charged continues to mount, numerous human rights groups have spoken out against Uzbekistan’s state-led persecution.
By Mushfig Bayram
06/07/2016 Uzbekistan (Forum 18) – Uzbekistan continues to raid homes and confiscate “illegal” religious literature. Known cases between January and May resulted in 18 Protestants and 11 Jehovah’s Witnesses being fined up to 60 times the minimum monthly salary each. Anti-Terrorism Police with ordinary police often conduct illegal searches of homes without a search warrant, as happened when police raided Council of Churches Baptist Stanislav Kim’s home. Other known cases have involved Jehovah’s Witnesses being stopped and searched as they left Fergana, and the possible use of a police agent provocateur to entrap two Urgench female Jehovah’s Witnesses as they shared their beliefs and literature with a woman in a flat. On 23 May Judge Khozhahmet Asanov upheld fines for illegal religious literature on 14 Protestants who met to mark International Woman’s Day, the fines totalling 350 times the minimum monthly wage. “Why should we pay such huge fines, which none of us can afford, for just meeting with our friends?” a Protestant asked. Forum 18 asked the Judge whether people in Uzbekistan can exercise freedom of religion and belief. He replied “maybe” before putting the phone down.
Recent known cases
Uzbekistan continues to raid private homes and confiscate religious literature, recent known cases having resulted in charges under the Code of Administrative Offences Article 184-2 (“Illegal production, storage, or import into Uzbekistan, with the intent to distribute or actual distribution, of religious materials by physical persons”). In these cases, at least 18 Protestants and 11 Jehovah’s Witnesses have each been fined sums of up to 60 times the minimum monthly salary (see below).