You could go to jail for practicing Islam

“So we will be roommates for a week,” I said as I was carrying my suitcases into the hotel room. We arrived from Turkey. We had to be in quarantine for a week as per government regulations.

“Yes,” he said smiling.

We shook hands. He was from Samarkand [second largest city of Uzbekistan].

I opened my suitcase and took some stuff out and started putting them in the closet.

“I gotta tell you something,” I said to my roommate. “I pray during the day. Do you have anything against that?”