UZBEKISTAN Individual Views of Commissioner Johnnie Moore Why is Uzbekistan still in this report? Very few countries have ever engaged as proactively as Uzbekistan has with the international community. Its progress is significant and worthy of commendation. Uzbekistan is an example to other countries. As I read it, among the reasons for Uzbekistan remaining on USCIRF’s list: (1) the country has not met the international community’s expectations when it comes to the passage of the law mentioned in this report; (2) there remains among some authority figures in Uzbekistan a visceral bias against its citizens changing religions; and (3) there is an ongoing need to review any relevant cases of those individuals actually imprisoned on the basis of religion alone. I understand the procedural complexities with the first and third concerns, but I find the second issue very easy to solve. Uzbekistan’s authorities, including its religious leaders, need to make it clear they actually believe in the celebrated Islamic teaching that “there is no compulsion in religion” and acknowledge—as all Abrahamic faiths do—that the freedom of choice is a divine gift (see Section 2 of the “Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration”). It may be that Uzbekistan’s authorities are somehow confusing coercive proselytization with the freedom of religion and belief. Surely this at least can be overcome, and it should be overcome. 86 USCIRF | ANNUAL REPORT 2021