In Uzbekistan, special services organized the persecution of Christians
On behalf of the State Security Service, representatives of public organizations in Nukus launched a campaign against the leader of a group of Christian activists Bakhbergen Abdukarimov.
Abdukarimov said to ACCA journalist that on October 26, a meeting was held in the school near his home with a teaching staff, which was attended by an employee of the State Security Service, the chairman of the gathering of citizens, envoys from the veteran organization “Nuroniy” and the city administration. “As they later told me, there were many ferocious words about my “wrong” religion, which the country’s patriot cannot believe in. They called the audience to a boycott so that no one would buy water from me and talk with me,” said Abdukarimov.
In their accusations, the speakers emphasized that Abdukarimov lures children into a religious sect by buying various soft drinks. “It is clear who reported this misinformation. I just sometimes gave children good water for free. They drink bad tap water at school,” the businessman complains.
To the surprise of the Christian Karakalpak, the local police officer tried to stop the exposers. He recalled that Abdukarimov does not violate the law, and they should not humiliate him. Law enforcement officials did not like the behavior of local officials, and they complained to the Prosecutor’s office of Karakalpakstan.
Abdukarimov took the bank loan [$7000] to purchase water purification equipment. Everything was good before the school meeting, but now no one buys water. “I am in desperate. How to give a loan now?” the entrepreneur asks. “I have three children, I live in accordance with my principles and now, due to vicious slander, I have become an outcast. I had to close the business, and neighbors buy water in other areas of Nukus.”
Cases of persecution of Christians in Uzbekistan are not isolated. On September 15, police from the Anti-Extremism and Terrorism Directorate raided the home of Baptist pastor Stanislav Kim in Urgench (Khorezm region). After the raid, as well as in Nukus, a public meeting was organized, which demanded the eviction of the Christian from his own home.
Uzbekistan at various international venues assures of its commitment to religious freedom. In September, US authorities welcomed the new wording of the draft Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations to the Legislative Chamber of Parliament. Before that, Uzbekistan was even excluded from the list of violators of religious freedoms.
In practice, the state does not register Christian groups in the regions, restricting religious freedoms under the pretext of protecting spiritual values and the mentality of the country’s population. Persecution of Christians in the regions of the country is ongoing. Even the visit of the delegation of international experts in the field of religious freedoms to Uzbekistan on November 4, 2019, as well as representatives of various US confessions, does not stop repression by the authorities.
By their arrival, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan prepared an overview of the peaceful coexistence of various religions in the country. Forum18, a Norwegian human rights organization, that promotes religious freedom, has a completely different picture. Their monitoring shows that freedom of religion, freedom of expression, association and assembly in Uzbekistan is seriously limited. Officials continue to violate government international human rights obligations. Since September of this year, new figures will be responsible for religious policy in the country: the former deputy head of the Committee for Religious Affairs, Nuriymon Abulkhasan, heads the Department in the Main Directorate for Combating Terrorism and Extremism under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the former head of the State Security Service for Surkhandarya, Abdugofur Akhmedov, heads now the Committee.
