Source: Premier
September 8, 2016
It is feared a ban on evangelism and controls on where Bibles can be read will continue to go unchallenged in Uzbekistan, once the central Asian country announces a new president.
The regime of Islam Karimov, who had been accused of systematically using torture and other human rights abuses, came to an end last week following his death.
Jonathan Hargreaves, a Christian who lived in Uzbekistan between 1995 and 2001 where he worked for a humanitarian aid organisation, told Premier Christian Radio Karimov ruled "with an iron fist".
Speaking about his potential successor, current prime minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, he added: "If he does indeed [take over] many fear that the persecution of Christians will become even worse.
"Some fear that it was he who initiated or at least was involved in the persecution of the Uzbek Protestant Church, particularly converts from a Muslim background.
"So, it remains to be seen but I think that things won't change terribly much and I suspect that the church would be quite fearful."
It is illegal in Uzbekistan to try and persuade someone to change their religion, while religious books can only be read in designated areas.
An Open Doors expert on Central Asia, who wanted to stay anonymous, said it is "unlikely that there will be any major changes for the better for the persecuted Uzbek Church".
They added: "Do we want religious freedom to come? Many Uzbek Christians would surely say 'Yes'! But [whether] the situation will improve, we don't know."
Karimov first came to power in 1989 when Uzbekistan was still part a soviet social republic.
One pastor in Uzbekistan who wished to remain annonymous told the Christian organisation World Watch Monitor: "If Mirziyoyev becomes the next President, the persecution of Christians will be even worse.
Uzbekistan has the largest population of any country in central Asia and it is estimated 85 per cent of the population are Muslim.
Uzbekistan:
Capital: Tashkent
Population: 27.8m
Official religion: Secular
Top three faith groups:
Muslim population: 84.93%
Non-religious: 13.8%
Christian: 0.75%
While nothing can justify persecuting those who convert to Islam just on the grounds of their conversion, there may have been good reasons to suspect some persons within the Uzbek Protestant Church, and to dislike some of the methods used to gain conversions, which frequently amount to bribery and psychological manipulation.