Issue Update: Uzbekistan’s Administrative Penalties for Peaceful Religious Activity

Uzbekistan Issued Over 1,250 Administrative Penalties for Religious Activities in 2024

Washington, DC - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on Uzbekistan:

Issue Update: Uzbekistan's Administrative Penalties for Peaceful Religious Activity - The government of Uzbekistan employs a series of laws to curtail freedom of religion or belief. This includes the 2021 law On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations, known as the "religion law," which places bureaucratic restrictions on peaceful religious activity. Authorities regularly employ penalties under Uzbekistan's Administrative Code for those who violate its provisions. This factsheet provides an overview of administrative penalties issued in 2024 pertaining to religious activities. It also analyzes the severity and types of penalties issued against those who violated religion-related provisions of the Administrative Code.

In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended Uzbekistan for inclusion on the U.S. Department of State's Special Watch List for engaging in systematic and ongoing violations of religious freedom. In September 2025, USCIRF held a hearing on laws impacting religious freedom conditions in Central Asia, including Uzbekistan.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].