Uzbekistan introduces life sentences for sexual crimes against children
Uzbekistan has introduced tougher penalties for sexual crimes against children under 14, including prison sentences of up to 25 years or life imprisonment.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed legislation amending five codes and six laws, according to Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration.
«Violence against a child is unacceptable, and punishment must be severe,» Mirziyoyeva wrote. «Anyone who harms a child’s life, health or dignity must know that they will not escape strict punishment.»
The law removes the statute of limitations for serious sexual offences against children and rules out suspended sentences or early conditional release for intentional crimes resulting in a child’s death. It also strengthens accountability for violence committed by relatives and educational staff.
Children affected by sexual violence will receive state-funded legal assistance, while interviews with child victims must be video-recorded to avoid repeated questioning.
Guardianship authorities must participate in proceedings involving violence by relatives. The law also introduces employment restrictions for educational staff held accountable for child abuse and tougher penalties for parents who neglect their children’s basic needs.
The background case
The legislation follows public outrage over the alleged sexual assault of a five-year-old girl at a state kindergarten in Uzbekistan’s Namangan region. A 52-year-old maintenance worker was detained in September, while the girl’s mother alleged that the suspect’s relatives had offered her money to withdraw her complaint.
On September 27, Saida Mirziyoyeva called for the death penalty to be considered for sexual crimes against children, although capital punishment is prohibited under Uzbekistan’s Constitution.
The following day, Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva, first deputy director of the National Agency for Social Protection, announced that proposals introducing life imprisonment for child sexual abuse had been submitted for consideration.
The debate intensified after MP Gulrukh Agzamova revealed on September 29 that Uzbekistan had opened 445 criminal cases involving the rape of children under 14 between 2022 and 2025.
The annual number rose from 85 in 2022 to 129 in 2024 before declining to 123 in 2025. The Legislative Chamber approved tougher sentencing proposals at their first reading on September 29.
