A tragic incident occurred involving a citizen of Uzbekistan who lost his life while participating in the hostilities in Ukraine. The individual, identified as a 23-year-old named SH.T., initially traveled to Russia in search of employment opportunities to support his family.
He started by working in a salad shop and engaging in various forms of manual labor, including construction. Eventually, SH.T. managed to open his own café and even purchased a car while residing in Russia.
According to the deceased's mother, her son was apprehended while transporting people near the Russian-Ukrainian border, and authorities discovered heroin in his vehicle. As a result, SH.T. received a prison sentence in Russia. However, it was during his time in prison that he was reportedly "mobilized" to participate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The grieving mother stated that she had her last conversation with her son on September 10. She emphasized that her child had no experience with firearms and had never been involved in military service. The woman informed me that her son's body, only from the waist up, was repatriated to Uzbekistan.
In August 2022, the Uzbek diaspora residing in Perm, Russia, formed a battalion named after Amir Temur, pledging support to Russia in its war with Ukraine. At the congress of the Central Asian Uzbek Society held in Perm, the leader Jahangir Jalolov emphasized the importance of backing Russia's special military operation aimed at demilitarizing and eliminating Nazism from Ukraine.
In response to this situation, the Foreign Labor Migration Agency issued a statement urging citizens of Uzbekistan not to heed such calls, avoid traveling to conflict zones, and refrain from participating in military operations. The Uzbekistan embassy in Russia also warned compatriots against forming volunteer battalions on foreign soil or engaging in military activities.
According to Article 154-1 of the Criminal Code, the involvement of Uzbek citizens in foreign military service, security, police, military justice bodies, or similar entities is subject to legal consequences. Offenders may face fines of up to 300 times the base calculation amount or correctional work for a period of up to 3 years.
If a citizen of Uzbekistan is hired to serve in the mentioned foreign entities, they can be punished with a term of restricted liberty ranging from 3 to 5 years or imprisonment for 3 to 5 years.