Baptists Fined 100 Times Minimum Monthly Salary in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan: March 25, 2010, (PCTV Newsdesk)

Uzbekistan has fined 13 members of an unregistered Baptist church 100 times the minimum monthly salary.

Uzbekistan is in Central Asia, north of Afghanistan.

In a story by Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service reported Judge Islam Noyobov of Almalyk Criminal Court, near the capital city of Tashkent, fined the Baptists for proselytism.

In the verdict, seen by Forum 18, the Baptists were each fined 3,768,000 Soms (or 2,490 US Dollars).

Forum 18 reported the court verdict states that Tashkent Regional and Almalyk City Police on Jan. 24 found the Baptists conducting "illegal teaching of religious doctrines without a special authorization from a central religious organization." They ordered that 30 copies of religious literature in Russian and Uzbek be confiscated, including six Bibles in Russian and one New Testament and Psalms in Uzbek.

The literature and materials were ordered to be sent to the State Religious Affairs Committee in Tashkent for "religious expert" examination. Such "expert examination" is often ordered for confiscated literature, even for the works of authors such as Sir Walter Scott and Ivan Turgenev.

According to Forum 18, the prosecution followed a police raid on the Brislavskys' home. The congregation belongs to the Council of Churches Baptists, which on principle refuses to seek state registration, fearing this would lead to interference by the state.

Judge Noyobov in 2009 fined Baptists from the same church - in some cases the same people - 50 times the minimum monthly salary, six of which were reduced on appeal.

Noyobov's assistant, who did not give his name, told Forum 18 that Noyobov was not available to talk. "The Baptists have a lawyer, let him speak to us," he stated. "You do not need to speak for them."

Asked why the court kept punishing the Baptists, Forum 18 reported he said, "I will answer if you write an official letter or come to the court."

Forum 18 said Uzbekistan continues to punish people for exercising their freedom of religion or belief, recently jailing a Protestant Christian for 10 years and arresting around 40 associates of a group of readers of the works of Muslim theologian Said Nursi.

Police Violence Goes Unpunished

Forum 18 said the Baptists also complained that the court did not take action against police who acted illegally or used violence. In a protest letter to Judge Noyobov and Almalyk Prosecutor's Office, the Baptists claim that over 60 violations of Uzbek law were committed by police. These include claims that police "used excessive force and abused their power," and "falsified the case files," thus making the charges against the Baptists invalid.

Numerous attempts by Forum 18 to discuss with Prosecutor Gayrat Mukhammedov, or other officials from Almalyk Prosecutor's Office, whether any action against the police would be taken were unsuccessful. The Assistant to Prosecutor Mukhammedov asked Forum 18 to call back numerous times on those days, each time giving different excuses why the officials were not available to talk.

The letter of complaint - which Forum 18 has seen - states that police officers did not show their identification documents or a warrant, which would authorize the search of the home and detention of church members.

"Police used physical force against women and children without defense who were in the home during the raid. They were dragged, beaten and forced into the police car without a chance to put on their coats, shoes, and were not allowed to take with them warm clothes or their personal belongings," Forum 18 said the letter reads.

Police did not allow church members to inform relatives of their detention or ask for a lawyer, the protest letter continues. The letter claims that the detainees were psychologically pressured and that one Baptist was told that people like them should be put to death.

The letter continues that the Baptists were not allowed to familiarize with the case files or testify. Some of the defendants did not sign any statements. "The Baptists were not shown the record of administrative violation made by the police."

Forum 18 said the protest letter states that amongst the Criminal Code articles violated by Almalyk Police were "Incitement of Ethnic, Racial or Religious Hatred," "Abuse of Power or Office," "Excess of Power or Office," and "Hooliganism."

Repeated Raids

Forum 18 said the Almalyk unregistered Baptist congregation has repeatedly faced official raids and detentions as it meets for worship. Its members have repeatedly met together for worship, as is their right under international human rights agreements Uzbekistan has signed, despite some facing repeated fines and harassment.

Bibles Must be Registered

Forum 18 said three Protestants in the north-western region of Karakalpakstan - where all Protestant activity is banned - have been fined for their religious activity, a source from the region who wished to be unnamed for the fear of the authorities told Forum 18.

Judge Makset Berdimuratov of Nukus City Criminal Court on Feb. 19 fined Medetbay Abdilbekov, Alfiya Atanazarova and Gulnaz Mambetnazarova, members of a local unregistered Full Gospel Christian Church.

Forum 18 said they were fined for "illegal production, storage, import and distribution of religious materials" and "teaching religious beliefs without specialized religious education and without permission from the central organ of a (registered) religious organization, as well as teaching religious beliefs privately."

Abdilbekov was fined 753,600 Soms (or 500 US Dollars), and Atanazarova and Mambetnazarova were each fined 188,400 Soms (or 125 US Dollars).

Forum 18 said all religious activity that is not either state-controlled Islamic or within the Russian Orthodox parish in Karakalpakstan's capital Nukus is banned in the region. This ban also applies to Russian

Orthodox Activity Outside Nukus and Independent Islamic Activity

With the same decision Berdimuratov gave an order to destroy 29 Christian books and magazines, among which were two Bibles and one New Testament in Uzbek language, a photo album, a photograph in frame, 23 CD and DVD disks, two videotapes and one audiotape confiscated from the Protestants. Uzbek courts frequently order confiscated religious literature to be destroyed.

Berdimuratov told Forum 18 that he fined the Protestants "because they continued their religious activity even though their church's registration was stripped away by an earlier court decision." He added that the confiscated materials had been destroyed.

"They were not registered with the state Religious Affairs Committee," Berdimuratov responded when asked why he ordered the Bibles and New Testament be destroyed. When Forum 18 asked why Christians believers cannot keep copies of Bibles in their homes, the judge stated that Bibles "must also be registered with the State Committee, and if they are not they will be destroyed once found."

Forum 18 said Nurulla Zhamolov, Karakalpakstan's senior religious affairs official, previously in 2009 "banned for import, distribution or use in teaching on the territory of the Republic of Karakalpakstan" the Bible, a hymn book, a Bible Encyclopaedia, a Bible dictionary, a children's Bible, and the 2004 film "The Passion of the Christ" by Mel Gibson, although this has legally been shown in cinemas in the capital of Tashkent.

This ban does not however appear to include the Russian-language Synodal version, a nineteenth-century translation widely used not only among Russian-speaking Protestants but by the Russian Orthodox for private reading outside church services.

Forum 18 said Zhamolov's ban did not mark a more intensive attempt to search for banned Christian literature or material in the region. It is unclear whether the latest prosecution and Judge Berdimuratov's comments presage any harshening of the existing repressive policy. All religious literature in Uzbekistan - even works such as the Bible and the Koran - is nationwide under extremely tight censorship.

Asked what punishment would be given to the three Protestants if they are found to have violated the Religion Law again, Berdimuratov said that the question should be addressed to other State authorities. He declined to speak further to Forum 18.

Does Criminal Code Apply to Officials?

Forum 18 said religious believers of all faiths often state - either on the public record or confidentially - that they are physically attacked if arrested or detained by officials. Some of these statements have been substantiated by forensic-medical examinations, as in the case of the Almalyk Baptists. Similar statements of the use of violence by officials are also made in relation to prisoners who have been sentenced.

Under Uzbek law, Forum 18 said, violence and discrimination against someone for their religion or belief by officials are on paper serious offences. But in reality, Uzbek officials act as if there is no possibility that they will be prosecuted for their actions if credible accusations are made, and as if the rule of law did not exist.

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