Uzbek authorities have stepped up surveillance of mosques and tightened control on religious activity since the start of the holy month of Ramadan. Although designed to keep a lid on Islamic radicalism, the government measures are causing friction with mainstream believers.
At the start of Ramadan in early September Uzbek authorities assigned a police officer to nearly every large mosque in Tashkent and other cities across the country. Police are also trying to strictly enforce legislation that bans large groups of people from meeting in private homes. In addition to law enforcement agencies, authorities are relying on mahallas, or neighborhood committees, to be on the lookout for infractions.
Observers in Tashkent and elsewhere say officials are concerned about an evident increase in the number of pious Muslims in the country. Largely anecdotal evidence suggests that many more Uzbeks are observing Ramadan this year in comparison with the recent past. In cities such as Andijan, Namangan and Kokand, all located in the Ferghana Valley, many restaurants and cafes are empty during daylight hours because thousands are fasting. A Tashkent-based journalist who worked for the Uzbek state TV and who requested anonymity told EurasiaNet that authorities are intent on discouraging Uzbeks from praying at mosques.
In an attempt to constrain a proliferation of faith, officials are denying registration for new mosques. For a population of 26 million, Uzbekistan has less than 3,000 registered mosques. The number of unregistered mosques is believed to be several times higher, local observers say.
The government efforts to close off outlets for the expression of faith are a source of building social tension. For example, in a small town of Vuadil, located near the city of Ferghana, residents constructed a new mosque in 2006 only to see their registration application denied. A believer with detailed knowledge of the situation, who spoke to EurasiaNet on condition of anonymity, said the government's stance was angering local believers. "They [local authorities] told us to wait with registration, and we have been waiting for two years with no results," the believer said. "It's really frustrating."
Registered mosques are not as frequently harassed as unregistered ones, but all officially sanctioned imams must get official approval for their Friday sermons and report to the Muftiyat, the Supreme Council of Uzbekistan's Muslims. Access to religious literature is restricted, and in at least one city, Namangan, authorities have told imams not to let children and teenagers attend mosque services.
In addition to increased controls, authorities are recognizing the importance of Ramadan and are using the holy month to bolster state support among the country's Muslims who constitute more than 90 percent of the population. Uzbek National TV is broadcasting a weekly show entitled "Ramazon Tuxfasi" (The Blessings of Ramadan). Invited state-appointed clergy and government officials talk about religious values and importance of Ramadan for Muslims.
Although discontent is palpable in many areas of Uzbekistan, no Muslim individual or group has stepped forward to publicly complain or try to engage officials about making policy changes. To do so would be to risk arrest and imprisonment, along with the possibility of torture, local observers say. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].
Some believers contend that even though there is heightened surveillance at mosques, conditions for the free exercise of religious beliefs are now slightly better in Uzbekistan than in recent years. Indiscriminate police raids and mass arrests of religious activists have largely been replaced with targeted action against individual believers. In 2008, for example, authorities have convicted 38 alleged Hizb-ut-Tahrir members, compared with 77 in 2007. This is in contrast with more than 700 arrests of religious activists that took place between May 2005 and December 2006.
The 2008 annual International Religious Freedom report on Uzbekistan by US State Department also noted that "religious freedom conditions improved for the Muslim majority" with the government officials refraining from harassment of believers attending registered mosques.
While striving to exhibit outward compliance with government regulations, a significant segment of pious, though not radical believers continues to flout restrictions. For instance, in some parts of Uzbekistan, believers are holding religious meetings in private houses and in unregistered mosques; children are still attending mosques. Believers are relying on their kinship and strong personal ties with local officials to evade punishment.
Meanwhile, other religious denominations remain targets of government harassment. According to the non-governmental organization Forum 18, Uzbek authorities are raiding houses of people believed to be affiliated with Christian missionary groups. In addition, a criminal trial involving Aimurat Khayburahmanov, an ethnic Uzbek Protestant preacher, is proceeding. Khayburahmanov was arrested for proselytizing without official authorization.
Source: Eurasianet
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