Zoroastrianism — an ancient monotheistic religion that predates Christianity and Islam — found a home in Uzbekistan in the 6th century when Persians established a base in the region. The religion has roots in Persia, and followers are spread out in modern-day Iran, India and Central Asia.
Read MorePolice raided the Baptist Church in Karshi during worship on Easter Sunday. They “damaged the door of the prayer house, behaved crudely, and arrested three church members,” Baptists said. Police refused to explain why they raided the church and tortured church members. Meanwhile, Prison No. 49 in Olmalyk banned prisoners from fasting during Ramadan, threatening those that do.
Read MoreSaudi Arabia, China, Russia and Myanmar are the world’s worst offenders of religious freedom in 2018, according to the U.S. State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report.
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