Uzbekistan continues to raid people exercising freedom of religion or belief without state permission. On December 1st, police raided a group of about 80 Protestants who were on holiday together at the Simurg (Phoenix) resort in the Bostanlyk District of Tashkent Region. Charges under six different articles of the Code of Administrative Offences have been brought against four of the group who were meeting together to discuss their faith and sing Christian songs. During the raid, three Bibles and 100 Christian songbooks were confiscated. Witnesses say police "insulted the believers with abusive words...and threatened that they could bring criminal charges against the believers unless they wrote statements." Fingerprints were taken of all present.
