Sharofat Allamova, a Protestant from Urgench in northwestern Uzbekistan, has been given one and a half years of corrective labour, after being convicted under criminal charges for the "illegal production, storage, import or distribution of religious literature."
As a result, the convicted Christian woman will be placed in a low-paying state job, her salary being further reduced by having to pay 20 percent of it to the state during her sentence. She will only be permitted to travel within Uzbekistan with written state permission and is banned from leaving the country. It has been stated that the NSS secret police compelled witnesses to make false statements against Sharofat.
In other cases, fines have been imposed on believers in the capital of Tashkent for meeting in private homes and for having Christian literature, which includes carrying a personal Bible or New Testament. For previous reports and video footage on the plight of Christians in this nation, please go to the Uzbekistan Country Report.
May Sharofat and the other convicted believers experience an extra measure of God's grace as they face these challenges, seizing them as opportunities to serve as vibrant Christian witnesses and thus reveal the character of Christ through their Godly response and attitude. Pray that He will help these believers to remain steadfast in their faith (Philippians 4:12-13), causing them to triumph. Ask the Lord to also work mightily in the hearts of the country's citizens, including the governmental leaders, in order to bring about genuine religious freedom to Uzbekistan. In the meantime, may the members of the church continue to spur each other on spiritually, wholeheartedly worship the Lord and eagerly learn from His Word.
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