Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan has proposed introducing life imprisonment for sexual violence against children, First Deputy Director of the National Agency for Social Protection Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva said.
According to Mirziyoyeva, the National Agency for Social Protection, together with relevant government bodies, spent several months preparing proposals to improve legislation on child protection.
The package of initiatives has already been submitted for consideration. One of the key proposals is to toughen penalties for sexual violence against minors, up to and including life imprisonment.
The proposals also call for greater parental responsibility in cases where parents improperly fulfil their duties to care for their children.
Separate changes may concern teachers and other education workers. In particular, the agency proposes strengthening liability for education-sector employees who use violence against or humiliate children.
The proposed measures would also expand safeguards for minors who have suffered violence. These include providing them with legal assistance and protection at all stages of investigations and court proceedings.
According to Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva, the legislative initiatives are aimed at strengthening child protection and increasing the responsibility of adults and professionals who are expected to ensure children’s safety.
The proposals come amid a criminal investigation into alleged sexual violence against a five-year-old girl at a state kindergarten in Namangan Region. The case was opened on 12 September, and the suspect was placed in custody. The investigation has been transferred to the Namangan Regional Prosecutor’s Office and is under the personal supervision of the Prosecutor General.
Separately, Presidential Administration head Saida Mirziyoyeva has called for the maximum possible tightening of penalties for sexual crimes against children, including saying that, in her view, the death penalty should apply to such crimes. Current Uzbek legislation does not provide for capital punishment.
