The United States has praised Uzbekistan’s new legislation criminalizing domestic violence and providing stronger legal protections for women and children. This landmark bill, approved unanimously by the upper house of parliament on April 6, is the first legislation of its kind in Uzbekistan that specifically targets domestic abuse.
The law envisions fines or prison time for those found guilty of assaulting a current or former spouse, a cohabitant, or the parent of a shared child. Additionally, individuals with a criminal record for sexually abusing a minor will be barred from holding jobs involving contact with children, and those with prior convictions for such offenses will be placed on a register.
While the adoption of the legislation has been greeted jubilantly by the activists that lobbied for its passage, a definitive version of the bill has not been released to the public. This means that the severity of penalties reserved for offenders is not yet known with certainty.
However, punishments for offenders found guilty of committing sexual violence, including against minors, have been stiffened. Such people will not be eligible for conditional release even if they claim ignorance of a victim’s age; they will no longer be admitted as grounds for mitigation during sentencing.
Domestic abuse is rampant in Uzbekistan, with law enforcement agencies receiving more than 72,000 complaints of harassment and violence against women and girls in 2021-22. Fully 85 percent of the incidents occurred within families, according to official figures given by Tanzila Narbayeva, chairwoman of the Senate.
The adoption of this bill is an important step toward ensuring all Uzbekistanis feel safe in their communities, at work, and in their homes. The United States remains committed to helping victims of domestic violence receive protection and support, and they stand ready to collaborate with Uzbekistan’s law enforcement, judiciary, and civil society on the law’s implementation.
