Uzbekistan Issues Decree Regulating Religious Materials

Forum 18 (Feb. 12) and Ferghana (Jan. 28) report on a decree issued recently by the government of Uzbekistan that creates a formal legal basis for its restrictions on religious materials.  Supplementing the 1998 Law on Freedom of Religion or Belief (full text of 1998 law .pdf file), the decree titled “Measures to improve order in the production, import and distribution of religious materials,” was signed by the Prime Minister on Jan. 20 and came into formal effect on Jan. 27. It allows distribution of religious materials only at commercial points of sale equipped with cash registers. Advance permission is needed to import religious materials. No more than 3 copies of even approved publications may be imported for personal use.  The production, storage or distribution of materials intended to encourage people to change their beliefs or which "distort religious canons" are prohibited.