Uzbekistan

Key Facts:

Leader:
President Islam Karimov
Population:
27.4 million (1% Christian)
Majority Religion:
Islam
Type of Government:
Authoritarian

The former KGB still operates, regularly 'inviting' Christians to the police station for questioning. Uzbekistanis cannot own more than one Christian book. Families and communities reject Muslim-background believers. Registering a church is an unending procedure, and many groups have been applying for years. Police raids often lead to Christians being arrested, beaten, and even tortured, their Bibles destroyed. A pastor was sentenced to four years in a labour camp in March 2007.

Prayer

• Pray for the safe delivery and distribution of Bibles and Christian literature.
• Pray for wisdom for secret believers who are often women married to non-believers. Pray for pastors and churches being put under pressure.
• Remember those in prison and those threatened with imprisonment, and also their families.