Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals for a revised version of the Law “On the Prevention of Offences” on 4 November. The new legislation is intended to shift the country’s crime prevention system towards a proactive model, identifying and addressing potential threats before offences are committed, according to the presidential press service.
The current law was adopted in 2014. More than 20 amendments and additions have been introduced since then, but some provisions no longer meet modern requirements. Changes in society, the rapid development of digital technologies, rising cybercrime and other threats have made a review of the prevention system necessary.
Currently, 14 government agencies are involved in crime prevention. Their functions sometimes overlap, while their powers are not clearly delineated. The presentation proposed adding seven more entities to the list of crime prevention bodies.
Mirziyoyev said this expansion needed to be properly justified, with the tasks, powers and responsibilities of each agency clearly defined and effective coordination established between them.
The draft law proposes formally establishing the powers of the Commission for the Prevention of Offences and strengthening coordination among government agencies. It also предусматривает introducing assessments and monitoring of the effectiveness of preventive measures.
The document identifies new areas of prevention, including stronger measures against drug-related offences, cybercrime, organised crime, the shadow economy and corruption.
Other proposed provisions aim to improve social and victimological prevention and expand preventive activities in educational institutions.
A separate section of the draft law focuses on protecting people affected by crime. Victims and witnesses would receive security and social protection if their lives, health or property were threatened. Citizens who assist in combating crime would also be eligible for incentives.
The legislation is also expected to establish a legal framework for issuing mandatory preventive orders designed to eliminate the causes and conditions contributing to offences.
The presentation also addressed the system for assessing the crime situation. Current methods rely mainly on statistical data, while socio-economic factors affecting crime rates are not adequately analysed and government information systems remain only partially integrated.
In response, officials proposed introducing a “crime stability index” for the first time. It would take into account, among other factors, how safe people feel and indicators of latent crime.
A unified crime data platform is planned to bring together information resources from government agencies, alongside the creation of crime maps. Artificial intelligence technologies would be used to analyse and forecast risks.
The situation in regions and mahallas would be assessed continuously, with targeted preventive measures determined according to risk levels. The performance of responsible agencies would be evaluated using effectiveness indicators, and implementation of measures to address identified problems would be monitored.
The presentation also included figures on existing crime prevention efforts. The country has installed 263,000 surveillance cameras with recognition capabilities, 70,000 modern intercom systems and 22,000 emergency buttons.
Social prevention measures have helped resolve the problems of 2.1 million people through targeted assistance. Of the 809 mahallas previously classified as having the most challenging crime situation, 701 have improved their indicators and left that category. Around 4,400 mahallas are currently classified as “green”.
Mirziyoyev stressed that crime prevention should become a shared responsibility. In addition to law enforcement agencies, it requires joint efforts by all relevant government bodies, mahallas and the public.
Officials have been instructed to revise the draft law in light of the comments and proposals made during the presentation, clearly define the responsibilities and powers of crime prevention bodies, and introduce digital mechanisms for analysis and monitoring.
