Uzbekistan - Raids, fines, more raids, more fines

Uzbekistan: April 23, 2010, (PCTV Newsdesk)

Protestant Christians in Karakalpakstan in north-west Uzbekistan continueto face raids, threats, fines, literature confiscations and court-ordereddestruction of religious literature, Forum 18 News Service has been told.In two recent cases in the region, police demanded that Protestants signstatements that they will not associate with other Christians or have anyChristian books in their homes. Students in the region and elsewhere havealso been put under pressure to be vigilant against "alien for us religiousand extremist influences and the impact of inferior 'mass culture' " Theunclearly defined phrase occurs in a government programme for 2010,designated "The Year for the Harmonious Development of the Generation".Religious activity by school and higher-education students has longattracted official hostility. Courts in the region continue to orderreligious literature to be destroyed, including Bibles and New Testaments,and to find those found in possession of these books. Religious literatureseizures continue throughout Uzbekistan.

For more detail www.forum18.org