Uzbekistan adds 12 new mosques to state register in six months

Presenting its report on activities carried out in the first half of 2026, the committee said its work focused on safeguarding citizens' freedom of conscience, implementing the state's policy on religious affairs, strengthening an atmosphere of religious tolerance, and countering extremist and terrorist ideologies.

According to the committee, as of July 2026, Uzbekistan has 2,160 functioning mosques. The country also has 14 Islamic educational institutions, including four higher education institutions and 10 secondary specialized schools, as well as five research centers.

Alongside the registration of 12 new mosques, reconstruction work was completed at 41 mosques, while 10 others underwent major renovation during the reporting period.

To promote religious tolerance and national values while protecting young people from harmful ideologies, educational campaigns were organized nationwide under the slogan "Enlightenment against ignorance." The committee said more than 223,000 outreach events, meetings, and discussions were held during the first half of the year.

The Institute for Advanced Training and Retraining in Religious and Educational Affairs, which operates under the committee, organized professional development courses for 3,575 participants. The attendees included imams, deputy imams, female religious instructors, and representatives of government agencies and law enforcement bodies.

The committee also reported that 35 religious specialists traveled to the United States, Canada, Russia, South Korea, and several European countries to conduct outreach activities among Uzbek citizens living abroad.

According to official figures, Uzbekistan currently has 199 non-Islamic religious organizations. The committee said these organizations received the necessary organizational and legal assistance to carry out their activities in accordance with national legislation during the reporting period.

In addition, five regional seminars were organized for leaders of non-Islamic religious organizations, while seven of their religious holidays were held in an orderly manner during the first half of the year.

The report also highlighted new measures aimed at improving religious and legal literacy and preventing the spread of extremist content online. In 2026, the State Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Religious Affairs Committee jointly launched the "Safe Bot" information platform to strengthen preventive efforts against harmful online ideologies.

The committee added that, in cooperation with the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan, ministries, and other government agencies, pilgrimage arrangements were made for 15,000 citizens to perform Hajj and for 10,650 citizens to undertake Umrah during the first half of 2026. A total of 100 people completed the Hajj pilgrimage as part of the "President's Pilgrims" initiative.