10. Uzbekistan

Religious freedom in Uzbekistan has deteriorated during the past year. The atmosphere has become more anti-Protestant. This became apparent in an increase in raids and confiscation of literature. Many Christians were arrested and fined. Many Christian leaders were interrogated and physically and mentally harassed at police stations, where they were held for varying lengths of time. Furthermore, relatives of Christians used physical abuse to pressure Christians to convert to Islam. Another sign of the changing situation is that the authorities used the media to slander Christians. They showed a popular movie on television, which was originally broadcast in May 2008, named 'In the Clutches of Ignorance'. In that movie Christians were portrayed in a negative way and they were even identified with sects and described as Satanists. Active Christians were accused of using drugs and finances in order to win people to Christianity. The TV programme also focused on how the Protestant 'sects' deceive children. The programme was repeated several times (most recently in September 2009) and produced on DVD.  The impact was very intimidating. This resulted in an active anti-Christian promotion. In spite of the persecution, the church in Uzbekistan continues to grow. Many Christians are actively looking for ways to reach others with the Gospel. Uzbek Christians face many obstacles, as singing and preaching in the Uzbek language is prohibited and Uzbek Christian fellowships cannot obtain registration. Without registration their meetings are illegal. The situation for Christians remained difficult.