Surkhandarya Woman Jailed for Attempting to Sell Her Son

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Termez City Criminal Court convicted a woman from Angor district of human trafficking and sentenced her to 3 years and 6 months in prison.

According to the case materials, the 30-year-old woman, who was facing financial hardship following her divorce, agreed to sell her son, born in 2014, for 40 million soums. She was detained while receiving the first installment of the agreed payment.

During the trial, the defendant fully admitted her guilt. She told the court that she had been driven to commit the crime by the lack of housing, financial difficulties and accumulated debts. She also said she believed the child would have better living conditions.

The court also established that in February this year the woman gave birth to a daughter and voluntarily placed her in the care of a childless family.

The court found the defendant guilty under Article 135, Part 3, Paragraph "b" of Uzbekistan's Criminal Code (Human Trafficking) and sentenced her to 3 years and 6 months' imprisonment in a general-regime correctional facility.

The court also instructed the district branch of the Inson National Agency for Social Protection and the Child Protection Department under the Angor district hokimiyat to resolve the issue of guardianship for the minor boy, who remained in the care of a relative following his mother's detention.