Baptist in Uzbekistan sentenced to two years’ labor

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — A Baptist has been sentenced to serve two years of correctional labor. Nikolai Zulfikarov was sentenced Nov. 29 under Uzbekistan’s criminal code for “teaching religious doctrines without special religious education and without permission from a central organ of administration of a religious organization, as well as teaching religion privately.”

Zulfikarov, who led the five-member Khalkabad unregistered Baptist church, was also sentenced to pay the state 20 percent of his earnings over the the next two years.

It is not clear whether Zulfikarov will appeal the decision. Asked whether it was illegal to be a religious believer in Uzbekistan, Judge Bakhrom Batyrov said the laws of Uzbekistan prohibit people worshipping and praying together without being legally registered.

This is the latest sentence against a member of one of Uzbekistan’s religious minorities who continue to be put under severe official pressure.