Unauthorized religious meetings in Uzbekistan severely punished

(April 29, 2010) In the central Asian Nation of Uzbekistan, authorities continue to put Muslims and Christians behind bars for organising unauthorised religious meetings. The crackdown has been going on for years and has included fines, arrests and jail time. The Forum 18 News Service has recently reported cases in which, offenders have even been sent to virtual forced labour camps. Christians have been sentenced to brief periods in prison for their religious activities. In the southern region of Syrkhandarya, two Protestants were given 15 days in prison for religious activity. In order to keep in check unauthorised religious activity, the authorities frequently impose short sentences, ranging from five to 15 days.
The UN Human Rights Committee has recently expressed concern over Uzbekistan's limitations and restrictions on freedom of religion and belief, and called on it to stop imposing prison terms on people for unauthorised religious activity.