Committee of religious affairs: Govn’t holds balanced policy in field of religion
08/09/2014 16:18
Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan
08/09/2014 16:18
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Committee of religious affairs of the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan published a denial for “International Religious Freedom Report for 2013: Uzbekistan”, which was published by the US State Department.
Information on human rights situation, including the rights of believers in Uzbekistan, is politically motivated, the committee said.
The committee said that the authors of the report are copying one thing over and over for several years. It added that the cases, indicated in the report, are old and lost their actuality. The report uses expressing, which negatively paint Uzbekistan, the committee noted.
The statement said that the law “On freedom of conscience and religious organizations” is acknowledged as one of the legislative document, which can be executed easily. This was acknowledged by international organizations.
According to the legislation, exercise of freedom to manifest religion or other beliefs may be subject only to such limitations, which are necessary to ensure national security and public order, life, health, morals, rights and freedoms of other citizens, the committee emphasized.
The committee underlined that there is no limits on registration of religious organizations on time and number. Currently, 2,236 religious organizations from 16 various religious confessions work in Uzbekistan. Religious organizations are planning to open new organizations in various regions of Uzbekistan.
Constitution of Uzbekistan says that the religious organizations and unions are separate from the government and equal before law and the government does not interfere to their activities.
The government supports religious organizations and their activities to protect believers and meet their needs. In recent years, the government handed over historic religious objects to believers.
The committee said that Uzbekistan approved list of religious materials, which are banned to import into the country as they discriminate gender, race, national, language and religious equality, call to change of order with force, promote war, violence and terrorism, etc.
In 2013, Uzbekistan produced 138 titles and imported 3,373 titles of religious books with thousands of copies. The figure only covers Islam books.
Four books on Christian religion, produced in the country, were presented in Uzbekistan in 2013 and over 5,000 copies of only Bible were imported into Uzbekistan.
The report also includes old cases. For example, issues related to Jehovah’s Witnesses is not actual now.
In 2013 and past period of 2014, the Committee on religious affairs held meeting with the representatives of European Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses and officials of church in Uzbekistan. The sides discussed issues related to activities of the organization in the country.
Study on activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses showed that there are positive results and violations of the legislation by the organization are decreasing. Jehovah’s Witnesses confirm this in their letters to the UN, EU, OSCE and others.
The committee said there are concerns with unregistered Council of Churches Baptist community. The committee tried to hold meeting with the religious organization, but they do not want to hold talks and comply with the legislation.
The issue is open and the organization does not want to adhere to legislation of Uzbekistan.
The Uzbek committee said that issue with pilgrimage is not actual as well. Over 11,000 people make pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia each year. Other religious confessions also organize pilgrimage of their believers to Russia, Israel and Greece.
Uzbekistan tries to ensure adherence to human rights, including rights of believers. The Government of Uzbekistan carries out balanced policy in the area of religion.
The committee called the authors of the report to visit Uzbekistan and see everything with their own eyes.
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