Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Senate of Uzbekistan’s Oliy Majlis approved a law on 2 October that strengthens penalties for a number of crimes against children and expands procedural safeguards for minor victims and witnesses. The law must be signed by the president to take effect.
The legislation is aimed at strengthening protection of children from various forms of violence and continues implementation of the Strategy for Protecting Children from All Forms of Violence for 2026–2030.
One of the key changes is tougher punishment for particularly serious crimes against the sexual integrity of children under 14. Rape of a child in this age group, as well as violent satisfaction of sexual desire in an unnatural form, will carry a sentence of up to 25 years in prison or life imprisonment.
Statutes of limitation for criminal prosecution and enforcement of convictions will not apply to these particularly serious crimes. Conditional sentences and parole will also be prohibited for people who intentionally commit crimes resulting in the death of a child.
During the Senate session, Abdulhakim Eshmuratov, chairman of the Senate Committee on Judicial and Legal Issues and Anti-Corruption, presented statistics on crimes against children.
Under Part 4 of Article 118 of the Criminal Code, which provides liability for rape of a person under 14, 85 criminal cases were opened in 2022, 108 in 2023, 129 in 2024 and 123 in 2025.
Under Part 4 of Article 119 of the Criminal Code, concerning violent satisfaction of sexual desire in an unnatural form against a person under 14, the number of registered criminal cases was 144 in 2022, 163 in 2023, 170 in 2024 and 116 in 2025.
The number of reports concerning sexual harassment of minors increased from 56 in 2023 to 141 in 2025.
The discussion also referred to high-profile cases in Uchkurghan district of Namangan region and Tashkent region as examples of the need to further strengthen child protection mechanisms.
Additional safeguards for minors
The reform will expand legal safeguards for children who have become victims of violence or witnesses to such crimes.
Minors will receive free qualified legal assistance at the expense of the state from the moment they are first involved in procedural actions. Interrogations of children who have suffered violence will be subject to mandatory video recording.
A special procedure will apply to confrontations between a minor victim of a crime against sexual freedom and a suspect, accused person or defendant. Such a procedure may take place only by a decision of an inquiry officer, investigator or prosecutor, or by a court ruling.
If the alleged violence was committed by a family member or close relative, the participation of a guardianship and trusteeship authority representative in the relevant procedural actions will become mandatory.
Restrictions on employees working with children
The amendments will also affect the education sector. The Labor Code will be supplemented with a provision allowing an employer to terminate the employment contract of an employee of an educational organization who has been held liable for violence against a child.
Such individuals will also face restrictions on further work with children. The law additionally strengthens administrative liability for improper performance of duties toward minors, including failure to provide proper care, deliberate failure to meet a child’s basic needs, violations of legislation on the marriageable age and failure to protect children from information capable of harming their health.
Protection of victims’ confidentiality
Separate provisions are aimed at protecting the confidentiality of women and children subjected to harassment or violence.
At their request, state authorities will be able to refrain from sending written or electronic responses to their place of residence. The mechanism is intended to reduce the risk of repeated violence and escalation of family conflicts.
Liability will also be introduced for improper performance of child-care duties, failure to comply with decisions of commissions on children’s issues or obstructing their implementation.
Changes concerning juvenile offenders
The law provides for an end to the compulsory placement of minors in special educational institutions.
Instead, other measures will be used, including placement in educational, childcare or social organizations, supervision with a warning and other measures provided for by law.
Intentional infliction of serious or moderate bodily harm on a minor will be treated as an aggravating circumstance.
Liability will also be strengthened for involving minors in antisocial behavior and for indecent acts against a child under 16 committed by a group of people.
The legislative changes follow the Uchkurghan case
The discussion on tougher penalties for crimes against children comes against the backdrop of a high-profile criminal case in Uchkurghan district of Namangan region.
The case concerns the alleged sexual abuse of a five-year-old girl attending a state kindergarten. A criminal case was opened on 12 September under Part 4 of Article 118 of the Criminal Code. A kindergarten employee identified as K. M. was detained.
The girl’s mother said the abuse may have occurred repeatedly. She said that after the incident the child became more fearful and was afraid to walk near the kindergarten.
On 27 September, Saidа Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration, said that responsibility should be borne not only by those directly responsible, but also by people who allowed the incident to occur, acted negligently and failed to protect the child. She also said proposals were being prepared to impose the maximum possible penalties for such crimes.
