July 4, 2003

Banned in Uzbekistan

By BRYON MacWILLIAMS

Universities in the former Soviet republic are the focus of a crackdown on religious expression

A piece of fabric. Facial hair. Both are far more important than knowledge or ability in determining the future of the next generation here. Young women cannot wear head scarves and young men must shave their beards if they want to get a college degree in Uzbekistan.

Some 25.5 million people live in this arid, landlocked country in Central Asia. About 88 percent of them are Muslim. One

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