They hate you because of me - I just received this press release from Forum 18, an organization which monitors and promotes religious freedom.
This report is about the religious persecution by the government which a Baptist organization is currently undergoing.
By Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service http://www.forum18.org>
Uzbekistan's Baptist Union is facing criminal charges brought by Tashkent
City Prosecutor's office for allegedly unlawfully teaching children
religion, and for supposedly misusing their property in a resort area as a
summer camp, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Local Baptists are very
concerned by the claims and think that Pavel Peichev, the Baptist Union's
Chair faces huge fines, the confiscation of the property, imprisonment, or
some combination of these penalties. No officials from either the state
Religious Affairs Committee or Uzbekistan's Ombudsperson's office were
willing to discuss the case with Forum 18 on 28 July.
The criminal charges brought by Tashkent City Prosecutor's are against the
Baptist leaders in charge of "Joy," a children's summer camp run in
Bostanlyk in the Tashkent Region, which belongs to Uzbekistan's Union of
Baptists. The charges relate to the Criminal Code's articles 145 part 2 and
190 part 2 point b and accuse the Baptists of:
- violating the rules of arrangement and maintenance of children's health
camps;
- violating the fire-prevention rules in the period 2006-2009;
- unlawfully using Baptist property for a children's camp;
- selling vouchers for the camp in cash;
- and "involving under-age children in religious organisation as well as
teaching them religion against the will of the children, their parents or
persons substituting them".
Part 2 of Article 145 of Uzbekistan's Criminal Code punishes with a fine
between 50 and 75 times the minimum monthly salary, or correctional labour
of between tow and three years, or three years deprivation of liberty for
violating the Religion Law. The Criminal Code's article 190 Part 2 point b
stipulates punishments of a fine of between 75 and 100 times the minimum
monthly salary, or detention for 6 months for "activity, which is subject
to licensing, without a license, committed by a group of persons on a prior
collusion."
A source in the Uzbek capital Tashkent, who wished to remain unnamed for
fear of state reprisals, told Forum 18 that Pastor Peichev was summoned on
21 July as the main defendant, and questioned by Prosecutor Anatoliy
Tajibayev, who is leading the prosecution.
Prosecutor Tajibayev has also issued an order to check the
financial-economic activity of and correctness of calculation of tax and
other obligatory payments by the Baptist Union on their summer camp, the
source said. A Baptist member of a church, which belongs to the Union, who
wished to remain unnamed, said Uzbekistan's Tax Authorities had already
began checking the Union's books and accounts. A number of leaders from the
Union have also been summoned and questioned by the Tashkent Prosecutor's
Office in July. "The authorities will at best strip the Union of its
property in the resort area and punish with heavy fines, at worst imprison
the Chairman [Pavel Peichev] for 3 years, I am afraid," he told Forum 18 on
27 July.
Prosecutor Tajibayev refused to tell Forum 18 on 22 July the details of
the criminal investigation, and would not clarify who exactly was being
prosecuted or what the charges were. "It is an investigation secret," he
responded. He also said "he cannot say" when the investigation will end. He
went on to claim that "We have nothing against the [Baptist] denomination."
The Ombudsperson's Office told Forum 18 that neither Sayora Rashidova nor
any of her assistants were available to talk about the case. Similarly,
Artyk Yusupov, the Chair of the state Religious Affairs Office, was not
available to talk. Begzot Kadyrov, a leading specialist at the Committee
told Forum 18, "We have already told you that we will not talk to you a
hundred times."
The first sign of trouble for the Baptists were two articles, with the
same title "Grievous and Criminal Acts of 'Joy'," published on the
government-sponsored Gorizont.uz news agency. The last article was on 21
July and both articles attacked the Union of Baptists of Uzbekistan for
holding children's summer camps. The author makes a number of allegations
which Baptists categorically deny.
Independent human rights defender sources in Uzbekistan, who wish to
remain anonymous, have told Forum 18 that the Gorizont agency is sponsored
by the National Security Service (NSS) secret police. The NSS maintains
very close surveillance of religious communities (see F18News 5 September
2007 <http://www.forum18.org/
Azamat Karimov, the author of the article, depicts the alleged experience
of Askar at the Baptist camp, a fifth grade pupil of Secondary School
No.210. Karimov claims that although "good people" offered his Askar's
mother a voucher at "a symbolic price of 7,000 Soms" [29 Norwegian Kroner,
3 Euros, or 5 US Dollars] for her son to attend "Joy," the end result of it
was that parents of Askar have been in "shock ever since." After the camp
Askar is claimed to have "dramatically changed, became serious, taciturn,
and a little absent-minded, and stopped associating with friends (..) Not
only that, but also he began to say that he is sinful, that his parents are
not living according to God's laws, and that their way is leading them to
hell," Karimov claims.
Independent human rights defender sources in Uzbekistan have told Forum 18
that "Azamat Karimov" may well be an NSS secret police officer, using
another name.
The article claims children are given Bible lessons at the camp. "Children
attend religious meetings every evening. They study various Protestant
books. They ask Jesus for forgiveness of their so-called sins. Children
become psychologically traumatized in the camp." The author claims that
parents who send their children to "Joy" do not know that it is a Baptist
camp.
The author also claims that in addition to the "psychological trauma" that
Askar suffered at the camp, he also had to live in "brutal conditions." It
claims that sanitary-hygiene or fire-prevention rules are non-existent in
the camp, and children are underfed. The author also claims to have been
told by a Baptist leader, whose name he does not give, that Pastor
Pitirimov "received 18,000 US Dollars [27,000,000 Uzbek Soms, 110,700
Norwegian Kroner, or 12,610 Euros] for the camp from foreign sponsors, and
more contributions were supposed to be made."
Karimov says in the article that he could not enter the camping area for
an interview earlier, but he "happened" to be there while on 26 June a
State Commission was holding a "surprise check-up" on the activity of the
camp. "How could Pitirimov hold the camp in such conditions when he had
received so much finance," asks the author. A state inspection had earlier
concluded that "the resort area is not fit for children to rest," he
reports, "because of which all activity in the resort area was suspended."
"But apparently Mr Dmitri Pitirimov is neither afraid of the authorities,
nor the devil, nor God. Despite the suspension, a new group of children had
come there to rest, when the authorities decided to do the surprise
check-up. The fact is that Pitirimov has totally ignored the official
demands."
The author then concludes that "in Uzbekistan, optimal conditions have
been created for representatives of various faiths, who live in peace and
accord. However, the concept of freedom does not mean that a 'paradise'
will be created here [Uzbekistan] for all kinds of missionaries, no matter
what they propagate, protestant or other teachings, who draw the youth of
this country into their ranks by deceitful ways. Parents also need to be
vigilant so their children do not fall under the influence of such
missionaries."
Pastor Pitirimov told Forum 18 on 26 July that he was indeed in charge of
the camp and was aware of the article. However, he did not know the author.
"I or no one else from the Union has ever been interviewed by anyone named
Karimov," he stressed. But he remembered that "someone" was actively taking
pictures during the "surprise check-up" on 26 June.
Pitirimov categorically denied the allegations in the article. "I have not
received any contributions for the camp let alone such a huge amount of
money," he stated. "We are taking excellent care of children in our camp,
and follow all the sanitary-hygiene rules."
However, he confirmed that there was a state inspection earlier in May,
which had indicated to him a few shortcomings in the area of
fire-prevention. "We had gathered some volunteers from among children to
help us to correct that on 26 June, when the authorities paid us a surprise
visit." he said, "At that time not everything which needed to be corrected
was ready," Pitirimov added.
Pitirimov categorically stated that: "All the parents whose children
attend our summer camp know that we are Baptists, and they sign an
agreement with us to allow their children to be taught at our camp."
Pitirimov said that usually the children of Baptist church members are the
children who attend the camp. "In the case of the boy mentioned in the
article, his mother has not become a member but attends our church, and
knows very well who we are and what we believe."
He also commented that he "would not be surprised to find that the mother
was compelled to sign a complaint against the Baptist Union." "Some other
Baptist parents were also summoned for questioning at the Prosecutor's
office where they were told to sign complaints against us but they have
refused to do so."
The authorities have bullied and harassed schoolchildren who attend places
of worship - including mosques and Christian churches - as well as their
parents elsewhere in Uzbekistan. The mass media has been used as part of
this (see F18News 12 January 2009
<http://www.forum18.org/
has also been used by the authorities to encourage intolerance of freedom
of religion and belief and to encourage religious hatred and intolerance
(see F18News 25 June 2008
<http://www.forum18.org/
Forum 18 has made repeated efforts between 21-28 July to speak to
"Karimov" or anyone else from the Gorizont news agency. No contact phone
numbers are available and there has been no reply to a written request from
Forum 18 through the feedback form on their website. Uzreport.com, which is
associated with Gorizont.uz, told Forum 18 that they did not recognise a
reporter called "Karimov". They also could not arrange for Forum 18 to talk
with the author of article. "They do not give interviews over the phone, we
have been told. You can only contact them through their website," Forum 18
was told by Uzreport.com on 21 July. (END)
For a personal commentary by a Muslim scholar, advocating religious
freedom for all faiths as the best antidote to Islamic religious extremism
in Uzbekistan, see <http://www.forum18.org/
For more background, see Forum 18's Uzbekistan religious freedom survey at
<http://www.forum18.org/
Full reports on freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Uzbekistan
can be found at
<http://www.forum18.org/
A survey of the religious freedom decline in the eastern part of the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) area is at
<http://www.forum18.org/
intolerance in Central Asia is at
<http://www.forum18.org/
A printer-friendly map of Uzbekistan is available at
<http://www.
(END)
© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855
You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to
F18News http://www.forum18.org/
Past and current Forum 18 information can be found at
http://www.forum18.org/
between 50 and 75 times the minimum monthly salary, or correctional labour
of between tow and three years, or three years deprivation of liberty for
violating the Religion Law. The Criminal Code's article 190 Part 2 point b
stipulates punishments of a fine of between 75 and 100 times the minimum
monthly salary, or detention for 6 months for "activity, which is subject
to licensing, without a license, committed by a group of persons on a prior
collusion."
A source in the Uzbek capital Tashkent, who wished to remain unnamed for
fear of state reprisals, told Forum 18 that Pastor Peichev was summoned on
21 July as the main defendant, and questioned by Prosecutor Anatoliy
Tajibayev, who is leading the prosecution.
Prosecutor Tajibayev has also issued an order to check the
financial-economic activity of and correctness of calculation of tax and
other obligatory payments by the Baptist Union on their summer camp, the
source said. A Baptist member of a church, which belongs to the Union, who
wished to remain unnamed, said Uzbekistan's Tax Authorities had already
began checking the Union's books and accounts. A number of leaders from the
Union have also been summoned and questioned by the Tashkent Prosecutor's
Office in July. "The authorities will at best strip the Union of its
property in the resort area and punish with heavy fines, at worst imprison
the Chairman [Pavel Peichev] for 3 years, I am afraid," he told Forum 18 on
27 July.
Prosecutor Tajibayev refused to tell Forum 18 on 22 July the details of
the criminal investigation, and would not clarify who exactly was being
prosecuted or what the charges were. "It is an investigation secret," he
responded. He also said "he cannot say" when the investigation will end. He
went on to claim that "We have nothing against the [Baptist] denomination."
The Ombudsperson's Office told Forum 18 that neither Sayora Rashidova nor
any of her assistants were available to talk about the case. Similarly,
Artyk Yusupov, the Chair of the state Religious Affairs Office, was not
available to talk. Begzot Kadyrov, a leading specialist at the Committee
told Forum 18, "We have already told you that we will not talk to you a
hundred times."
The first sign of trouble for the Baptists were two articles, with the
same title "Grievous and Criminal Acts of 'Joy'," published on the
government-sponsored Gorizont.uz news agency. The last article was on 21
July and both articles attacked the Union of Baptists of Uzbekistan for
holding children's summer camps. The author makes a number of allegations
which Baptists categorically deny.
Independent human rights defender sources in Uzbekistan, who wish to
remain anonymous, have told Forum 18 that the Gorizont agency is sponsored
by the National Security Service (NSS) secret police. The NSS maintains
very close surveillance of religious communities (see F18News 5 September
2007 <http://www.forum18.org/
Azamat Karimov, the author of the article, depicts the alleged experience
of Askar at the Baptist camp, a fifth grade pupil of Secondary School
No.210. Karimov claims that although "good people" offered his Askar's
mother a voucher at "a symbolic price of 7,000 Soms" [29 Norwegian Kroner,
3 Euros, or 5 US Dollars] for her son to attend "Joy," the end result of it
was that parents of Askar have been in "shock ever since." After the camp
Askar is claimed to have "dramatically changed, became serious, taciturn,
and a little absent-minded, and stopped associating with friends (..) Not
only that, but also he began to say that he is sinful, that his parents are
not living according to God's laws, and that their way is leading them to
hell," Karimov claims.
Independent human rights defender sources in Uzbekistan have told Forum 18
that "Azamat Karimov" may well be an NSS secret police officer, using
another name.
The article claims children are given Bible lessons at the camp. "Children
attend religious meetings every evening. They study various Protestant
books. They ask Jesus for forgiveness of their so-called sins. Children
become psychologically traumatized in the camp." The author claims that
parents who send their children to "Joy" do not know that it is a Baptist
camp.
The author also claims that in addition to the "psychological trauma" that
Askar suffered at the camp, he also had to live in "brutal conditions." It
claims that sanitary-hygiene or fire-prevention rules are non-existent in
the camp, and children are underfed. The author also claims to have been
told by a Baptist leader, whose name he does not give, that Pastor
Pitirimov "received 18,000 US Dollars [27,000,000 Uzbek Soms, 110,700
Norwegian Kroner, or 12,610 Euros] for the camp from foreign sponsors, and
more contributions were supposed to be made."
Karimov says in the article that he could not enter the camping area for
an interview earlier, but he "happened" to be there while on 26 June a
State Commission was holding a "surprise check-up" on the activity of the
camp. "How could Pitirimov hold the camp in such conditions when he had
received so much finance," asks the author. A state inspection had earlier
concluded that "the resort area is not fit for children to rest," he
reports, "because of which all activity in the resort area was suspended."
"But apparently Mr Dmitri Pitirimov is neither afraid of the authorities,
nor the devil, nor God. Despite the suspension, a new group of children had
come there to rest, when the authorities decided to do the surprise
check-up. The fact is that Pitirimov has totally ignored the official
demands."
The author then concludes that "in Uzbekistan, optimal conditions have
been created for representatives of various faiths, who live in peace and
accord. However, the concept of freedom does not mean that a 'paradise'
will be created here [Uzbekistan] for all kinds of missionaries, no matter
what they propagate, protestant or other teachings, who draw the youth of
this country into their ranks by deceitful ways. Parents also need to be
vigilant so their children do not fall under the influence of such
missionaries."
Pastor Pitirimov told Forum 18 on 26 July that he was indeed in charge of
the camp and was aware of the article. However, he did not know the author.
"I or no one else from the Union has ever been interviewed by anyone named
Karimov," he stressed. But he remembered that "someone" was actively taking
pictures during the "surprise check-up" on 26 June.
Pitirimov categorically denied the allegations in the article. "I have not
received any contributions for the camp let alone such a huge amount of
money," he stated. "We are taking excellent care of children in our camp,
and follow all the sanitary-hygiene rules."
However, he confirmed that there was a state inspection earlier in May,
which had indicated to him a few shortcomings in the area of
fire-prevention. "We had gathered some volunteers from among children to
help us to correct that on 26 June, when the authorities paid us a surprise
visit." he said, "At that time not everything which needed to be corrected
was ready," Pitirimov added.
Pitirimov categorically stated that: "All the parents whose children
attend our summer camp know that we are Baptists, and they sign an
agreement with us to allow their children to be taught at our camp."
Pitirimov said that usually the children of Baptist church members are the
children who attend the camp. "In the case of the boy mentioned in the
article, his mother has not become a member but attends our church, and
knows very well who we are and what we believe."
He also commented that he "would not be surprised to find that the mother
was compelled to sign a complaint against the Baptist Union." "Some other
Baptist parents were also summoned for questioning at the Prosecutor's
office where they were told to sign complaints against us but they have
refused to do so."
The authorities have bullied and harassed schoolchildren who attend places
of worship - including mosques and Christian churches - as well as their
parents elsewhere in Uzbekistan. The mass media has been used as part of
this (see F18News 12 January 2009
<http://www.forum18.org/
has also been used by the authorities to encourage intolerance of freedom
of religion and belief and to encourage religious hatred and intolerance
(see F18News 25 June 2008
<http://www.forum18.org/
Forum 18 has made repeated efforts between 21-28 July to speak to
"Karimov" or anyone else from the Gorizont news agency. No contact phone
numbers are available and there has been no reply to a written request from
Forum 18 through the feedback form on their website. Uzreport.com, which is
associated with Gorizont.uz, told Forum 18 that they did not recognise a
reporter called "Karimov". They also could not arrange for Forum 18 to talk
with the author of article. "They do not give interviews over the phone, we
have been told. You can only contact them through their website," Forum 18
was told by Uzreport.com on 21 July. (END)
For a personal commentary by a Muslim scholar, advocating religious
freedom for all faiths as the best antidote to Islamic religious extremism
in Uzbekistan, see <http://www.forum18.org/
For more background, see Forum 18's Uzbekistan religious freedom survey at
<http://www.forum18.org/
Full reports on freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Uzbekistan
can be found at
<http://www.forum18.org/
A survey of the religious freedom decline in the eastern part of the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) area is at
<http://www.forum18.org/
intolerance in Central Asia is at
<http://www.forum18.org/
A printer-friendly map of Uzbekistan is available at
<http://www.
(END)
© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855
You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to
F18News http://www.forum18.org/
Past and current Forum 18 information can be found at
http://www.forum18.org/
