Building of the Senate of Uzbekistan. Photo from dccgefest.com
Uzbekistan’s Senate approved a law on October 2 that strengthens criminal liability for sexual violence against children under 14, the upper chamber of the Oliy Majlis, Uzbekistan’s parliament, said.
Once signed by the president, the law will amend the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, the Penal Enforcement Code, the Labour Code and the Code of Administrative Responsibility.
Its key provision sets penalties of up to 25 years in prison or life imprisonment for the rape of a child under 14. The same penalties will apply to forcible sexual acts against a child under that age.
Statutes of limitations for prosecution and for the enforcement of sentences will not apply to particularly serious crimes against the sexual integrity of children. In cases involving intentional crimes that result in a child’s death, courts will be barred from imposing suspended sentences or granting early conditional release.
The law also introduces additional procedural safeguards. Child victims of violence and minors who witness it will receive state-funded legal assistance from the moment they first become involved in criminal proceedings.
Interviews with child victims must be video-recorded to reduce the risk of retraumatization during repeated questioning. A confrontation between a child who has been the victim of a sexual crime and a suspect may be held only by a special decision of an inquirer, investigator or prosecutor, or under a court order.
Employers will be entitled to dismiss staff at educational and childcare institutions for committing violence against children. According to Senator Pokiza Akhmedzhanova, 122 cases of violence against children were recorded in educational institutions in 2025, including 38 in kindergartens and 84 in schools.
The law also increases administrative penalties for parents who fail to provide proper care for their children, sexual harassment, violations of the legal marriage age and failure to protect children from information harmful to their health.
During the Senate debate, Chairperson Tanzila Narbayeva said the law should not be merely a reaction to individual high-profile cases and called for a systemic approach to child protection.
“We must not wait for an incident to happen and only then react,” Narbayeva was quoted as saying. “The fact that we are adopting this law after the terrible case that occurred also shows that it should have been done earlier.”
Narbayeva said legal assessments should cover not only the actions of direct perpetrators but also the inaction of officials. She urged the Prosecutor General’s Office to prevent reports of violence from being ignored, concealed or subjected to prolonged preliminary checks.
The debate over tougher legislation has unfolded against the backdrop of a high-profile case involving the alleged rape of a five-year-old girl in Namangan Region. A kindergarten supply manager has been detained as a suspect and charged under Part 4 of Article 118 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code, covering the rape of a person under 14.
Media reports said relatives of the suspect had allegedly pressured the child’s parents and offered money to persuade the girl’s mother to withdraw her complaint.
