Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 16 November 2021, a meeting of the Senate Committee on Defense and Security was held. The meeting, which took place on the eve of the twenty-first plenary session of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, was attended by members of the Committee and the Expert Group, senior officials of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Among the issues on the agenda of the twenty-first plenary session of the Senate is the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On the State of Emergency".

The adoption of the Law will serve as a programmatic document in the protection of the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of citizens in the event of a state of emergency in our country.

The law contains norms aimed at regulating relations arising from the introduction of a state of emergency. In particular, the norms on the conditions and procedure for the introduction of a state of emergency, the measures and restrictions applied, a special state body for the period of the state of emergency, on guarantees of the rights of individuals and legal entities, as well as officials in a state of emergency and other special rules governing activities ships in a state of emergency.

The law regulates a number of measures such as emergency measures and their degree of impact, the establishment of temporary restrictions on the rights and freedoms of citizens of Uzbekistan, foreign citizens and stateless persons, as well as the rights of legal entities and imposing additional responsibilities on them, the time of their entry into force, and also the duration of the state of emergency.

The law clearly defines the goals of declaring a state of emergency. Its main goal is to ensure the security of citizens, the protection of the constitutional order and territorial integrity.

The law establishes that the duration of the state of emergency introduced throughout the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan cannot exceed thirty days, and that introduced in its individual localities - sixty days, but this resolution must also be approved by a joint session of parliament. The state of emergency may be extended for one more term by decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan if the goals of declaring the state of emergency have not been achieved. However, it is established that this decree must be approved at a joint meeting of the chambers of parliament.

At the same time, the law stipulates the use of the forces and means of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Guard, the State Security Service and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan to ensure the state of emergency, as well as other state bodies and organizations included in the State system of prevention and action in emergency situations. In exceptional cases, on the basis of a decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in addition to the above forces and means, the forces and means of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan may be involved to maintain the state of emergency.

The law also provides that neighboring states are notified of the imposition of a state of emergency through diplomatic channels.

It was especially noted at the meeting that Article 9 of the Law clearly states that with the introduction of a state of emergency, the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan continue their work throughout the entire period of the state of emergency and cannot be dissolved.