Uzbek MP Akmal Saidov: Good morning, excellent ministers, dear friends, ladies and gentlemen. It is my great honor to speak to this distinguished audience. I'm happy to see many familiar faces, and my old friends. In my shortly remarks today, I'd like to indicate four new trends in the field of religious issues in Uzbekistan.
First, Uzbekistan is historically a country of inter-ethnic, inter confessional, intercultural, and tolerance. Indeed for many centuries, representatives of different religious confessions, nationalities, cultures, and linguistics, live peacefully in my country.
A multi-confessional society in Uzbekistan has been formed over the centuries, and peaceful co-existence of various religions. We always appreciate this valuable priority of our historic development. Uzbekistan created a unique and original model that provides peace and religious stability in our society.
The second peculiarity, modern Uzbekistan is a secular state. Secular state Uzbek constitution guarantees the separation of a religious organization from the state. Non-interference of religious organizations and equality before law. All religious communities, be it religious organizations with huge or small number of members should enjoy the say range of rights and freedoms. Uzbek constitution also prohibits the formation of political parties on religious principles. And the law on freedom and religious organizations first stresses that the state does not entrust religious organizations to fulfill any state functions, and does not finance activity of religious organizations. Nor activities associated with propaganda of atheism.
Interactive harmony and religious tolerance are among the policies of Uzbekistan. All rights are guaranteed by the constitution and laws as well as our international obligations on human rights. And we have created all conditions for 16 religious confessions. There are more than 130 national minorities, here in different faith, and live together peacefully. The inter-religious relations are generally harmonious and they are not any report of religiously motivated hate crimes.
And said, Uzbekistan last year as you know, as I mentioned before the speaks, invited special reporter on freedom of religion or belief Mr. Ahmed Shaheed in Uzbekistan in October, 2017. And this report was considered in the 38 station of human right's counsel in Geneva. After the consideration of the reports of special reporter Ahmed Shaheed, Uzbek parliament both chamber, Legislative chamber and Senate, was adopted road map on implementing recommendations of special reporter.
And Chris indicated this brochure after adopting the paper we published. We are already further active in constructive partnership with our American partner. This is my last comments.
Our specific plans for the near future. First. Do do policy concept in the state of religion and inter-ethnic relations, taking into account modern religious for exclusions from the list of CPC. In other words, further strengthen legal guarantees of freedom of activity of religious organizations. Liberalize the registration of religion organization. And simplify the reporting as mentioned by minister of justice.
The second, to organize joint seminar on religion of the main international instruments of the United Nations. For example the convention on the rights of persons who has disabilities. The optional protocol to the convention again is torture up cut. And number of ILO conventions. Hearing in might [inaudible 00:06:08] audience on this evening, I'd like to propose to convene the round table on the drafting the new version on the law on religious organizations.
As Minister Kamilov said, mentioned, and following the recommendations of Ambassador Brownback, where we aim at including the following amendments to this law. Simplifying the registration, and the reporting process. Suspensions of religious organizations, only upon court's decision. Today's minister of justice may prohibit the activity of religious organizations. And it's very important. It's a great American jurist in the early 20th century, Roscoe Pound states that "there is a law in books, and the law in action."
Our biggest problem is implementation of adopted laws. We must bring closer the law in books and the law in action. In conclusion I'd like to mention the word of great German Writer, Ute. He wrote "Solving each problem is a new problem." And we must work to solve all the problems concerning us and some. Thank you so much.
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