Uzbek welfare agency seeks life sentences for child abusers

Uzbekistan’s social protection agency is pushing for life imprisonment for child sexual abuse. Its proposals also seek legal support for victims at every stage, from investigation to trial.

Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva, first deputy director of the National Agency for Social Protection, said the agency and other government bodies had spent several months drafting the legal changes.

«Life imprisonment [applies] for sexual violence against children,» she said in a statement, adding that the proposals had already been submitted for consideration. Her announcement did not specify an adoption timetable or the precise offences that would attract the sentence.

The announcement follows reports of the alleged rape of a five-year-old girl at a kindergarten in Namangan. Mirziyoyeva said the child’s family would be offered housing and support to relocate to another city.

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Namangan family promised fresh start

In a separate statement shared by the agency, Mirziyoyeva said councillors had been working with the girl and her mother from the outset.

The relocation plan would include housing, rehabilitation, and ongoing social support. The mother would receive assistance with education and employment, and the family could change their surname if necessary. The goal was to allow the girl and her family to «start a new life in safety.»

According to Kursiv, a 52-year-old kindergarten maintenance worker has been detained on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child. Criminal proceedings are still ongoing in connection with the allegations.

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The sentencing initiative predated the Namangan case. In March, officials proposed life sentences for child sexual offenders and specialised training for lawyers, investigators, and judges who deal with violence against women and children.