Believers in Uzbekistan hope for an improvement in the legal situation

The history of Jehovah's Witnesses in Uzbekistan is full of twists and turns. In recent years, the authorities of this Central Asian country have fined believers for peaceful religious activity, and also refused to register religious groups. Throughout Uzbekistan, only the community in the town of Chirchik is officially registered, while the rest of the congregations face difficulties.

However, recently there have been a number of improvements. In 2013, Uzbek authorities released from prison all Jehovah's Witnesses who were still in detention. One of them, Abdubannob Ahmadov, spent more than four years in prison. Also in 2013, the Uzbek government announced plans to implement UN recommendations on the recognition of religious freedom in the country.

The representative of Jehovah's Witnesses, Igor Yurchenko, after a series of meetings with officials, noted noticeable changes for the better. "Apparently, they are going to make positive changes," he said. Whether this is so, time will tell. Believers are waiting for these steps to lead to tangible changes in the lives of citizens whose only goal is to serve God peacefully.