Saida Mirziyoyeva talks death penalty after alleged rape of 5yo girl

Saida Mirziyoyeva, the Uzbek president’s chief of staff, has called for the death penalty to be considered for paedophilia after learning about the alleged sexual assault of a five-year-old girl at a kindergarten in Uzbekistan’s eastern Namangan region.

Mirziyoyeva said on Sunday that a briefing on the case had left her «truly furious.» In an emotive social media post, she promised the harshest possible punishment for the alleged perpetrator and bystanders.

«I was briefed on the tragedy that occurred in Namangan. When I learned about it, I felt real anger,» Mirziyoyeva said in a statement.

«For such monstrous crimes, in my view, the death penalty should apply.»

She acknowledged that current Uzbek law prohibits capital punishment and stated that proposals were being developed to change legislation and make penalties as severe as possible.

The death penalty is currently expressly prohibited by Article 25 of the Constitution, so its reinstatement would necessitate a constitutional amendment rather than simply tougher sentencing provisions in the Criminal Code.

Read more: Uzbekistan considers life sentences for child sexual offenders

What happened to the five-year-old

The case concerns a five-year-old girl who attended a state kindergarten in the Namangan region.

Previously, a 52-year-old kindergarten maintenance worker was detained on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child. On September 12, investigators opened a criminal case under legislation that covers the rape of a person under the age of 14, and the suspect was remanded into custody.

The girl’s mother told local media that her daughter had become afraid of the kindergarten and refused to pass by it. She has also questioned why surveillance cameras at the institution were allegedly not working, and she claims relatives of the suspect offered her money to withdraw her complaint.

Mirziyoyeva said she had already given instructions to the relevant agencies.

«The criminal will receive the harshest possible punishment,» she said, adding that those who «allowed this to happen, showed negligence and failed to protect the child» should also be held responsible.

Read more: Uzbekistan introduces stricter child protection laws

Uzbekistan has already begun to toughen its sentences for sexual crimes against minors. Earlier this year, officials proposed life in prison for repeat offenders of child sexual abuse, as well as tighter rules governing child-related investigations and trials.