Saida Mirziyoyeva Takes Control of Drug Crackdown

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan Saida Mirziyoyeva said she is taking personal control over the implementation of a new law signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev aimed at strengthening the fight against illegal drug trafficking.

According to Saida Mirziyoyeva, the new legislation introduces uncompromising measures against drug-related crimes and is intended to protect society, public health, and future generations. She said drugs destroy families, harm children’s health, and pose a threat to the country’s future.

She noted that the law addresses modern methods of drug distribution, strengthens criminal liability, and places special emphasis on the protection of minors.

Under the new provisions, criminal liability is introduced for acts that were previously not explicitly covered by legislation. These include the creation of underground drug laboratories and drug dens, protection of drug-related criminal activity, and the distribution of drugs via the internet and transnational networks. Such crimes are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

The law also significantly increases penalties for organized drug-related crime. Individuals convicted of such offenses will not be eligible for parole and must serve their full sentences.

A separate section of the law focuses on the protection of children and adolescents. Inducing minors to use drugs is now classified as a serious crime and is punishable by five to ten years in prison. The same liability applies to involving minors in drug-related crimes in schools, educational institutions, student dormitories, and children’s recreation camps.

Saida Mirziyoyeva said the main goal of the law is not only to punish offenders but also to protect public health, preserve the nation’s human capital, and prevent young people from being drawn into drug-related environments.

She also said that a Republican Special Working Group on Countering Drugs operates under the Presidential Administration, focusing on identifying and dismantling drug laboratories and organized criminal groups involved in illegal narcotics.

Addressing parents, she urged them to take an active role in preventing drug addiction among young people and to support state efforts against drug-related crime, stressing that the future of children is the future of the country.