An Uzbek citizen managed to protect his...

Officials requested the 25-year-old Muslim, a resident of Uzbekistan"s second largest city of Samarkand, to provide a document proving his right to wear a beard when the man identified as Abdukhamid was applying for a new passport to replace his expired one.

The man, who was reportedly advised to turn to regional religious authorities for the requested permit, failed to get the document on his first attempt because the imam was "out of the office."

He then turned to an imam of a local mosque, who in turn refused to give him official permission to wear a beard, fearing unwanted attention and pressure.

"I myself do not wear a beard so as to avoid being included in the list of bearded men," the imam reportedly told Abdukhamid, adding authorities were "afraid" of bearded men, whom they considered members of local extremist organizations.

To clarify the issue, the man was to talk to a lawyer, who confirmed that the right to wear a beard was guaranteed by the

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