The Government has granted academic institutions a degree of autonomy, but freedom of expression still is limited. Most institutions are modernizing their curriculums, but find up-to-date textbooks too costly. According to press reports, the Ministry of the Interior announced that police had detained a large number of Hezbut Takhrir leaflet distributors in Tashkent. The leaflets severely criticized President Karimov and propagated a Muslim teaching banned in the country. Other arrests of leaflet distributors occurred throughout the year. A group of 15 female students at Ferghana State University were harassed and ultimately forced to leave school over the issue of religious dress.
Source: U.S. Department of State.
