Still Space for Reform – The Diplomat

In 2017, after a dozen years listed as a “Nation of Specific Concern” with regard to violations of spiritual freedom by the U.S. State Division, Uzbekistan was dropped to a decrease class of concern, the Particular Watch Record. Three years later, in 2020, the U.S. Ambassador at Giant for Worldwide Non secular Freedom mentioned in 2020 that Uzbekistan was now not engaged in “extreme violations of spiritual freedom” and the nation was faraway from the Particular Watch Record too. It was an evaluation the U.S. Fee on Worldwide Non secular Freedom (USCIRF) – an impartial, bipartisan fee created to observe freedom of faith world wide and make coverage suggestions to the federal government – didn’t agree with.

In a latest report, USCIRF paperwork ongoing violations of spiritual freedoms in Uzbekistan that, regardless of acknowledged progress in some areas, proceed to represent “extreme violations.” Within the following interview, USCIRF Chair Nury Turkel discusses Uzbekistan’s progress, and remaining issues, concerning spiritual freedom – and why it issues – with The Diplomat’s Catherine Putz.

Uzbekistan was on the CPC listing for a dozen years as much as 2017. How important was the change in administration in Uzbekistan – the demise of Islam Karimov and ascension of his former prime minister, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to the presidency – in influencing how its authorities engaged with reference to spiritual freedoms?

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s administration has demonstrated an unprecedented curiosity in participating with the US authorities on spiritual freedom and introducing associated reforms that we had not beforehand seen in Uzbekistan beneath the management of Islam Karimov, who maintained a notoriously poor report on this problem. It was a welcome change to see this present authorities make substantive enhancements and overtly focus on methods to additional advance this proper. Actually, that shift was motivated, no less than partially, by a want to now not be designated a “Nation of Specific Concern” by the State Division 12 months after 12 months, particularly because the nation was making efforts to enhance its worldwide picture.

What sorts of reforms or modifications did Uzbekistan make that impressed its designation on the less-severe Particular Watch Record (SWL) in 2018 and its final elimination from the SWL in 2020?

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Preliminary reforms throughout this era had been promising. The federal government eliminated an estimated 16,000 names from a so-called blacklist of potential “spiritual extremists,” started to register some non-Muslim spiritual minority communities, and launched from jail a number of people who had been sentenced on religiously-motivated fees. In 2017, Uzbekistan permitted the U.N. Particular Rapporteur on freedom of faith or perception to go to the nation, and in 2018 the parliament adopted a “highway map” that aimed to additional enhance spiritual freedom situations by incorporating lots of the U.N. Particular Rapporteur’s suggestions. As a part of that highway map, the federal government dedicated to revising the nation’s restrictive 1998 faith legislation. 

The then-U.S. Ambassador at Giant for Worldwide Non secular Freedom mentioned in 2020 that Uzbekistan was now not engaged in “extreme violations of spiritual freedom.” Does USCIRF agree with that evaluation? How would you characterize spiritual freedom situations in Uzbekistan at current?

USCIRF doesn’t agree with this evaluation, because it has discovered that Uzbekistan nonetheless engages in “extreme violations of spiritual freedom.” For that reason, USCIRF continues to suggest that the State Division put Uzbekistan again on its Particular Watch Record. USCIRF included this suggestion in its 2022 Annual Report, which it launched in April.

Generally, USCIRF has assessed spiritual freedom situations in Uzbekistan as poor. The federal government continues to imprison greater than 2,000 Muslim political prisoners associated to their peaceable spiritual actions and has detained or arrested extra people merely for possessing unauthorized or “unlawful” spiritual literature. During the last 12 months or so, the federal government has restricted the power of its residents to pursue a spiritual schooling overseas and has fined journalists for reporting on spiritual matters with out authorities permission. Though the federal government made a lot of its efforts to rewrite its problematic faith legislation, that course of resulted in an underwhelmingly up to date legislation that in most methods preserved the state’s intrusive function in controlling all features of spiritual life.

Uzbekistan is a Muslim-majority nation that, within the phrases of its ambassador to the U.S. in 2018, sees itself as a mannequin secular, Muslim-majority state. However the authorities performs a central function in figuring out what Islamic practices are acceptable. Do you suppose this heavy hand within the follow of Islam within the nation runs counter to the state’s proclaimed secularism?

It’s problematic when a authorities makes determinations about what’s right or applicable spiritual follow. Uzbekistan, regardless of figuring out as a secular state, is closely concerned in regulating, controlling, and defining Islamic practices – for instance, telling ladies and women what type and even coloration of scarf is suitable. In accordance with worldwide requirements, individuals needs to be free to consider and to manifest these beliefs impartial of the state.

Broadly talking, it appears Uzbekistan’s reform progress has slowed because the pre-pandemic years. Is that this true of progress on spiritual freedom points too? What sorts of reforms, within the realm of spiritual freedoms, ought to U.S. authorities encourage Uzbekistan to pursue?

It seems that Uzbekistan’s efforts to enhance the house for spiritual freedom have slowed, notably because it adopted a revised faith legislation in 2021. We proceed to suggest that the U.S. authorities have interaction counterparts in Uzbekistan on related legislative reforms to codify sturdy spiritual freedom protections into legislation. Though it’s unlikely that Uzbekistan will once more take into account amending its faith legislation within the close to time period, the U.S. authorities ought to nonetheless encourage reform of its felony code and legislation on extremism to adjust to worldwide human rights requirements. U.S. authorities officers must also proceed to press Uzbekistan to launch the quite a few remaining spiritual prisoners of conscience from jail – a few of whose names have been documented in latest USCIRF reporting. 

Wanting on the large image: Why does it matter that Uzbekistan makes continued progress towards better spiritual freedoms? What’s at stake ought to progress stall right here?

Freedom of faith or perception is a elementary human proper that Uzbekistan has dedicated to guard and promote – not for the sake of different international locations or the worldwide group, however for the profit and wellbeing of its personal individuals. Uzbekistan’s willingness to ensure this proper for its personal residents will likewise characterize a powerful indicator of its degree of dedication to all human rights, together with freedom of expression and freedom of affiliation, amongst others. A authorities that stifles spiritual freedom and different human rights not solely violates the rights of its residents, it additionally runs the danger of contributing to the very safety threats – like violent extremism – that Uzbekistan seeks to comprise. In distinction, a authorities that embraces actual protections for human rights, together with freedom of faith or perception, strengthens its society and paves a path for elevated social and financial prosperity.