about
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is a police state with practically no freedoms at all. The attitude of the regime towards Christianity is harsh. Only registered churches are permitted to meet. To be registered, the church needs to own a building, which is very expensive. All forms of outreach (especially to Muslims) are forbidden. Importation of Christian literature in indigenous languages is forbidden and effectively blocked. Telephones of leading Christians are bugged. An Uzbek evangelist was arrested and is now under surveillance. Another Uzbek convert was clubbed to death with a wooden hammer in a labour camps.
Persecution happens in the form of fines, loss of jobs, interrogation at the police station, church infiltration, beatings, raids in services, confiscation of literature and property, monitoring of telephone and other communications, imprisonment, closure of meeting places/churches, loss/denial of registration. Church members are recruited as informants by the secret police.
Converts in Uzbekistan are a very vulnerable group. In most cases, the knowledge of their new faith is very limited. Family members and relations have no consideration for the converts. They are seen as traitors of the national identity. Islam is an integral part of Uzbek (and any other indigenous culture) life. Often, the converts loose their job, and are kicked out of their families. Then they need to build up a whole new life. Furthermore, when repression comes, the converts are the first group that will come under attack by the regime.