Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In recent years, Uzbekistan has been carrying out large-scale reforms aimed at protecting the legitimate interests of children and ensuring state guarantees of their rights and freedoms.

At the ninth plenary session of the Senate, the Law “On Amendments and Additions to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Connection with the Further Liberalization of Criminal Liability for Minors” was reviewed, marking a logical continuation of these efforts.

It was noted that in 2023, 1,911 minors were held criminally liable in Uzbekistan, and in 2024 this figure rose to 2,214. Of these, 1,238 committed offenses posing little social danger, while 855 were charged with crimes of medium severity.

The Law was developed within the framework of the State Program for the Implementation of the Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan for 2022–2026, which was declared “The Year of Caring for People and Quality Education.”

The document introduces several amendments to the Criminal Code. Specifically, it establishes that a person convicted of a crime not classified as especially grave and committed before the age of 18 will be considered as having no criminal record after serving their sentence. In addition, the minimum term of restriction or deprivation of liberty for minors is reduced from six months to one.

According to senators, these changes represent an important step toward liberalizing criminal liability for minors, allowing young people to start anew without the stigma of a criminal record and facilitating their successful reintegration into society.

The Senate approved the Law.