A bill aimed at significantly strengthening penalties for violence against children has been submitted to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, with lawmakers expected to consider the proposed amendments at a plenary session on September 29.
The draft legislation was prepared and submitted to the lower house on September 27 at the initiative of the faction of the Adolat Social Democratic Party (SDP). It is intended to improve Uzbekistan’s system for protecting children from all forms of violence.
The issue of strengthening accountability for violence against children has been under discussion among deputies, with the new bill proposing changes to several pieces of legislation governing criminal, procedural and administrative liability.
At a meeting of the Council of the Legislative Chamber, a decision was adopted to place the bill on the agenda of the Chamber’s upcoming plenary session. The Committee on Democratic Institutions and Civil Society Development was designated as the committee responsible for reviewing the legislation.
The proposed legislation envisages amendments and additions to the Criminal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Code on Administrative Liability, as well as a number of other legislative acts.
The amendments are aimed at significantly toughening penalties for acts of violence against children and strengthening existing accountability measures. The bill is scheduled to be considered by the Legislative Chamber at its next plenary session on September 29.
Earlier, Saida Mirziyoyeva has called for consideration of the death penalty for what she described as particularly brutal crimes following the sexual abuse of a five-year-old girl at a kindergarten in Namangan. Mirziyoyeva noted that the incident had prompted her to support capital punishment for such offenses, while noting that Uzbekistan’s current legislation does not provide for the death penalty.
She added that proposals are being prepared to amend existing legislation and introduce the strongest possible liability under the law. Relevant authorities have also been instructed to take necessary measures in connection with the case. According to Mirziyoyeva, the perpetrator will face the most severe punishment available under current legislation, while officials whose negligence contributed to the incident will also be held accountable.
